Impact of the economic crisis on healthcare resources: A panel data analysis in Eastern Mediterranean countries during 2005 to 2013

Background: Studying the impact of economic crisis on healthcare resources is important because the economic crisis is an important socio-economic determinant of healthcare resources and is strongly linked to a number of health outcomes. We aimed to examine the impact of the economic crisis on healthcare resources in the Eastern Mediterranean countries of World Health Organization (WHO). Methods: In this study, health expenditure per capita was considered as the indicator of healthcare resources and the unemployment rate was assumed as a proxy of economic crisis. Hausman test showed that to perform the analysis it is required to use a random effect panel data model from 2005 to 2013. The data were taken from the World Bank database and the calculations were performed using the statistical software STATA 12. Results: The results showed that the unemployment rate and out-of-pocket payment (OOP) had a strong relationship with healthcare resources. So, a 1 increase in unemployment rate leads a 138 decrease in health expenditure per capita and a 1 increase in OOP is accompanied with a 12 decrease in health expenditure per capita (p-value. <. 0.01). In this regard, countries having an unemployment rate more than 5 and OOP more than 25 indicate 260 health expenditure per capita less than countries with OOP less than 25 and an unemployment rate less than 5. Conclusions: The findings imply that during the economic crisis there is a decrease in healthcare resources for Eastern Mediterranean countries. In this connection, the unemployment rate and OPP are important predictors of healthcare resources. © 2018