The Effect of Economic Complexity Index on the Health Outcomes in Iran and Selected Developing Countries

Economic complexity indicates the availability of knowledge within a country. Increasing economic complexity indicates an increased capacity of producing a diverse set of complex products. The complexity of the economic structure of a country is the main factor affecting social choices and human abilities, including but not limited to, employment and learning opportunities, and the employment status of an individual is an important determinant of his/her health status. Therefore, the production of advanced products depends to a large extent on the quality of human capital and knowledge. On the other hand, knowledge and education are widely recognized as promoting factors of the health of the population.

This research investigated the effect of the economic complexity index (ECI) on the health outcomes in seventeen selected countries in the region using panel data in the period 2001-2019 by using the quantile regression and the OLS ordinary least squares methods.

Based on the findings of this study, ECI, globalization, economic growth and trade openness variables will improve health. However, despite this, the institutional quality variables, politics and urban population have not improved health in the countries studied.

The results of this research are particularly relevant to developing economies that usually suffer from poor health and low levels of economic complexity.