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Corruption and health outcomes within an economic and cultural framework

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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between corruption and population health. Our cross-sectional sample covers 185 countries (54 high-income and 131 low-income countries) and the period of the analysis is 2005–2017. This research provides clear evidence that the level of corruption significantly affects physical health (expressed as life expectancy and Mortality rate) and mental health (expressed by happiness), under the moderating role of economic development and cultural framework. Moreover, we validate a powerful and positive correlation between the income level and both physical and mental health. Culture also has an important role in the corruption–health nexus, because we find evidence supporting four out of the six dimensions of culture (individualism versus collectivism, indulgence versus restraint, uncertainty avoidance and masculinity vs femininity) as having influence upon the physical and mental health of individuals. When we estimate the results on subsamples of countries (high-income and low-income countries), we validate a crisscross effect of corruption. Thus, a high level of corruption more deeply affects the physical health of population in low-income countries than in high-income countries. On the other hand, mental health is more pronouncedly affected by corruption in high-income countries than in low-income countries. This study may have important implications for national or international policy makers who need to acknowledge that anti-corruption policies play an important role in increasing population health, but they also need to adopt them according to the economic and cultural context of each nation.

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Acknowledgements

The corresponding author would like to thank the potential reviewers for the insightful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Cluj-Napoca, Department of Finance, “Babeş-Bolyai University”, Street Teodor Mihali, No. 58-60, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Monica Violeta Achim & Viorela Ligia Văidean

  2. Faculty of Economics, Informatics and Engineering, Department of Economics, ‘Vasile Goldis’ Western University of Arad, B-dul Revolutiei, No. 94, Arad, Romania

    Sorin Nicolae Borlea

  3. Faculty of Economics, Doctoral Scool of Economics, University of Oradea, Street Universitatii No. 1, Oradea, Romania

    Sorin Nicolae Borlea

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  1. Monica Violeta Achim
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  2. Viorela Ligia Văidean
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  3. Sorin Nicolae Borlea
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The authors contributed equally to the development of the study. All the three authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Monica Violeta Achim.

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Achim, M.V., Văidean, V.L. & Borlea, S.N. Corruption and health outcomes within an economic and cultural framework. Eur J Health Econ 21, 195–207 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10198-019-01120-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10198-019-01120-8

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