Abstract

PIP: Findings on the relationship between health indicators and health-affecting factors in both developing and developed countries, are reported. Regression analysis was used to detect the relationship between a health status indicator and 11 health-affecting factors. The study revealed a high interrelationship (over .95) between infant mortality rates and life expectancy, a finding that appears to justify the claim that, in developing countries, high infant mortality rates have contributed to lower life expectancy. Stepwise regression showed that infant mortality had a high correlation with both the health services and socioeconomic variables, while life expectancy was most closely associated with socioeconomic variables. 3 possible explanations for the striking degree of correlation found between health status and adult literacy rates are presented: 1) literacy rates represent the general level of education, which in turn reflect the level of socioeconomic development; 2) adult literacy and health status are linked by health education; and 3) a vicious cycle exists between low education level, poor health, and low incomes. Additionally, while the study confirmed the expected strong relationship between the number of physicians and health status, this relationship was weaker than the correlation between adult literacy levels and health status. Finally, the analytical results for the developed and developing countries were markedly different. In developed countries, the selected health-affecting factors do not explain the health status very well, suggesting that in these countries the selected health services and socioeconomic factors generally have little effect on health.