Impact of Human Development Indicators on Child Mortality: The Case Study of Iran

Abstract

The mortality rate of children under the age of five is of particular importance, as it is often related to the general level of health and living standard condition of the household in the society. The study aimed to investigate the effects of the Human Development Index on public health with particular reference to the under-five mortality rate in Iran. As a method a descriptive-analytical method including ordinary least square regression analysis was used to identify the causal relationship between the human development index and the under-five mortality rate during the period of the study (1987-2017) in Iran. The results show that there is a negative and meaningful relationship between the human development index (HDI) level and the under-five mortality rate. Moreover, the control variables including inflation rate, unemployment rate, and income distribution inequality index showed a positive and meaningful impact on the under-five mortality rate. Given that human capital is considered the engine of economic growth and development, it can be concluded that any increase in health expenditures through improvements in human capital inventory leads to increased economic growth, increased life expectancy, and decreased under-five mortality rate.