Determinants of Life Expectancy: A Panel Data Approach

Abstract

This study is concerned with understanding the factors that affect the life expectancy in 136 countries for the period 2002–2010. According to the life expectancy literature, the determinants of life expectancy can be classified into social, economic and environmental factors. In this respect, the panel data method is employed to compute the relationship between life expectancy and selected economic, social and environmental factors. The results of this study suggest that unemployment and inflation are the main economic factors that influence the life expectancy negatively. But, the gross capital formation and gross national income and affect the life expectancy positively as well. The urbanity seems to be the main socio-environmental cause for mortality. According these results, this study presents a number of recommendations in order to improvement of life expectancy.