Background As middle-income countries become more affluent, economically sophisticated and productive, health expenditure patterns are likely to change. Other socio-demographic and political changes that accompany rapid economic growth are also likely to influence health spending and financial protection.   Methods This study investigates the relationship between growth on per-capita healthcare...

This paper uses data from the Current Population Survey to analyze determinants of cigarette demand. Price elasticities for smoking participation and quantity of cigarettes smoked are between y0.4 and y0.6 for both men and women. These effects diminish for high-income individuals. The family earnings elasticity of demand is weak, but education has strong negative effects on smoking, especially ...

This paper explores both theoretically and empirically whether or not the willingness to pay (WTP) for pollution control varies with income. Our model indicates that the income elasticity of the marginal WTP for pollution reduction is only constant under very restrictive conditions, which are not necessary for an environmental Kuznets curve relationship between pollution and income. Our empiric...

Although the number of children enrolled in early childhood education and care has risen dramatically over past decades, low-income children are less likely than their more affluent counterparts to participate. Public funding for early education can play an important role in increasing enrollment levels among low-income children. This study utilizes National Household Education Survey data for ...

According to the Ahlowalia hypothesis (1995), the growth of total factor productivity (TFP) beside infrastructure investments of government lead to income inequality decrease in rural areas of countries. The main objective of this study is to investigate the effects of public investments such as agricultural R&E, road, education and irrigation on income inequality in rural areas of Iran. In ord...