Respective healthcare system performances taking into account environmental quality: what are the re-rankings for OECD countries?

Abstract

Abstract Background Efficiency analyses have been widely used in the literature to rank countries regarding their health system performances. However, little place has been given to the environmental aspect: two countries with the same characteristics could experience completely different healthcare system outcomes just because they do not face the same environmental quality situation, which is a major determinant of the health of inhabitants. Methods Using a stochastic frontier model, this paper analyses the effect of environmental quality on health system outcomes in OECD countries, measured by life expectancy at birth. Results We show that the healthcare system performance ranking of OECD countries changes significantly, depending on whether the environmental index is taken into account. Conclusions These findings, once again, underline the critical importance of the environment when addressing population health issues. In general, our results can be aligned with the messages of the One Health approach literature.