Determinants of Health Expenditures in Iran and Other Country Members of Perspective Document of Iran-1404

Ever rising of health expenditure all over the world has shifted policy makers’ attention to the determinants of health expenditures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the determinants of health expenditures in Iran and the countries which are the members of Perspective Documents of Iran-1404 (Hijri). This was a descriptive-analytic study that investigated the impact of gross domestic product (GDP)/capita, urbanization rate, unemployment rate, the percentage of the population ages 0-14 years, the percentage of the population ages 65 years and above, population growth rate, number of hospital beds, and number of physicians on health expenditures using panel data from World Bank during 1995-2014 for Iran and other country members of the Perspective Document of Iran-1404. GDP/capita, urbanization rate, and the percentage of the population ages 65 years and above had a positive impact on health expenditures. Unemployment rate, the percentage of the population ages 0-14 years, and number of hospital beds had a negative impact on health expenditures. The results of this study showed that urbanization rate and the percentage of the population ages 65 years and above had the greatest impact on rising health expenditures. These findings can be used by policy makers in the health sector to design a better future for the health of the population while containing the health expenditures.