Trends in Life Expectancy and Its Association with Economic Factors in the Belt and Road Countries—Evidence from 2000–2014

Ruhai Bai, Junxiang Wei, Ruopeng An, Yan Li, Laura Collett, Shaonong Dang, Wanyue Dong, Duolao Wang, Zeping Fang, Yaling Zhao and Youfa Wang
Additional contact information
Ruhai Bai: Global Health Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
Junxiang Wei: Global Health Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
Ruopeng An: Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, IL 61820, USA
Yan Li: Center for Health Innovation, The New York Academy of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA
Laura Collett: Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
Shaonong Dang: School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
Wanyue Dong: School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
Duolao Wang: Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
Zeping Fang: Global Health Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
Yaling Zhao: Global Health Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
Youfa Wang: Global Health Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-11

Abstract: In 2013, China launched the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative in an effort to promote trade and economic collaboration. This study examined the change in life expectancy (LE) among countries along B&R and studied the impact of economic development on LE. Data from 65 B&R countries from 2000 to 2014 were compiled and analyzed. Trend of LE was examined by sex and country. Linear quantile mixed model was used to study the associations between LE and economic factors. In 2014, the average LE in all B&R countries was 69.7 years for men and 73.7 years for women. Across countries in 2014, LE for men ranged from 58.6 years in Afghanistan to 80.2 years in Israel. LE for women ranged from 61.3 years in Afghanistan to 85.9 in Singapore. GDP per capita was positively associated with longevity across B&R countries. The unemployment rate was positively associated with LE only for countries in the top LE quantiles. GDP growth rate and Inflation were negatively associated with LE for the countries in the bottom LE quantiles for men, not for women. LE increased substantially among B&R countries during 2000–2014. The influence of macroeconomic factors on LE was related to the distribution of LE.

Keywords: Belt and Road; life expectancy; quantile mixed model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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