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Health, longevity, infrastructure and competitiveness: The Four Horsemen of COVID-19
María Sarabia1, Fernando Crecente1, Maria Teresa Del Val1
1Department of Economics and Business Organization, University of Alcalá, Spain.
Insights
Countries with high health, longevity, infrastructure, and competitiveness experienced greater COVID-19 transmission. However, increased health system expenditure correlated with lower COVID-19 incidence, offering a key economic insight.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Economics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Global researchers seek frameworks for COVID-19 solutions.
- Economic and business perspectives identify "Four Horsemen of COVID-19": Health, Longevity, Infrastructure, and Competitiveness.
- Understanding regional factors influencing virus transmission is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the relationship between Health, Longevity, Infrastructure, and Competitiveness and their influence on COVID-19.
- To distinguish between European countries with higher and lower COVID-19 incidence based on these factors.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from Global Competitive Index (GCI), Health Systems in Transition (HiT), and System of Health Accounts (SHA).
- Compiled a database for 28 European Union countries plus the United Kingdom.
- Employed descriptive analysis and a binary logistic (logit) model using regional variables (competitiveness, security, infrastructure, population, health system).
Main Results:
- The presence of high Health, Longevity, Infrastructure, and Competitiveness correlated with increased virus transmission.
- Higher annual health system expenditure was associated with a lower incidence of COVID-19.
- These findings highlight a complex interplay between national development factors and pandemic impact.
Conclusions:
- While desirable national attributes, Health, Longevity, Infrastructure, and Competitiveness may inadvertently facilitate virus spread.
- Increased investment in health systems appears to be a protective factor against high COVID-19 incidence.
- Economic and health system factors are critical considerations for pandemic preparedness and response strategies.
Abstract:
Many researchers around the world are working to reach a general framework to provide solutions for COVID-19 in different ways. From our economic and business orientation, "Health, Longevity, Infrastructure and Competitiveness" are presented in this paper as the Four Horsemen of COVID-19. Our aim is to analyse the relationship between these proposed four factors and their influence on COVID-19. Using the Global Competitive Index (GCI), Health Systems in Transition (HiT) and the System of Health Accounts (SHA), we complete a database for a total of 28 countries of the European Union, including the United Kingdom and using variables related to the environment of each region (competitiveness, security, infrastructure, population and health system). Our study is focused on a descriptive analysis and a binary logistic model (logit), trying to distinguish between countries with more and less incidence of COVID-19. According to the results, the presence of these four factors - which are desirables for any country - implies a greater transmission of the virus in these regions. However, a higher annual expenditure in the health system is related to a lower incidence of COVID-19.
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