Determinants of Health Inequalities: An International Study

Abstract

This study analyzes the relationship between socioeconomic inequalities and health inequalities across a panel of 112 countries (1995-2020), using non-parametric and semi-parametric approaches while establishing a global database of health inequalities. The research explores how educational and income disparities influence health inequalities, while considering contextual factors such as GDP per capita and health expenditure. The results of this multidimensional modeling of inequalities reveal complex non-linear relationships with critical threshold effects. Educational inequalities show a non-monotonic relationship with health inequalities, creating "disadvantage traps" where educational deficits limit access to healthcare. Income inequalities follow an inverted S-shaped dynamic, with inflection points where social mechanisms modulate their effects on health. The impact of educational inequalities proves more substantial and persistent than that of income disparities. This multidimensional analysis of inequalities highlights the need for targeted governance policies that prioritize educational equity and account for threshold effects according to development levels. The study provides empirical benchmarks for designing differentiated interventions based on country contexts, thus contributing to more effective global health governance.