Country Comparisons: Health, Development, and Economic Status
Economic Characteristics of Countries
Classification: The World Bank classifies countries by Gross National Income (GNI) per capita:
Low income: or less.
Middle income: (lower and upper).
High income:
Poverty:
Low-income countries: Large proportion in poverty.
Middle-income countries: Some in poverty.
High-income countries: Small amount in poverty.
Industries:
Low-income: Limited, centered on farming and primary production.
Middle-income: Mixture of industries.
High-income: Wide range including mining, manufacturing, education, healthcare and technology.
Global Trade:
Low-income: Few opportunities due to limited goods and infrastructure.
Middle-income: Emerging global trade.
High-income: High levels of global trade due to robust infrastructure.
Social Characteristics of Countries
Gender Equality:
Low-income countries: Females have limited opportunities.
Middle-income countries: Increasing gender equality.
High-income countries: Relatively high levels of gender equality.
Birth and Population Growth:
Low-income countries: High birth rates.
Middle-income countries: High birth rates.
High-income countries: Low birth rates and slow population growth.
Education and Employment Levels:
Low-income countries: Limited education systems and career options.
Middle-income countries: Improving education system.
High-income countries: High education and employment rates.
Social Security Systems:
Low-income countries: Limited or no social security.
Middle-income countries: Limited social security.
High-income countries: Developed social security systems.
Health Systems
Low-income countries: Lack access to suitable health care.
Middle-income countries: Developing public health systems.
High-income countries: Generally have public health systems.
Access to Technology
Low-income countries: Lack access to technology.
Middle-income countries: Improving access to technology.
High-income countries: More accessible technology.
Legal Systems
Low-income countries: Experience unstable governments and political unrest.
Middle-income countries: Improving legal systems.
High-income countries: Experience strong political and legal systems.
Environmental Characteristics of Countries
Safe Water and Sanitation:
Low-income countries: Lack of safe water and sanitation.
Middle-income countries: Improving safe water and sanitation.
High-income countries: Safe water and sanitation.
Food Security:
Low-income countries: Often lack food security.
Middle-income countries: Improving food security.
High-income countries: Generally have access to a quality food supply.
Adequate Housing:
Low-income countries: Lack access to adequate housing and have urban slums.
Middle-income countries: Lack access to adequate housing and have urban slums.
High-income countries: Adequate housing.
Adequate infrastructure:
Low-income countries: Lack access to infrastructure.
Middle-income countries: Improving infrastructure.
High-income countries: Adequate infrastructure.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions:
Low-income countries: low carbon dioxide emissions.
Middle-income countries: Medium carbon dioxide emissions.
High-income countries: High carbon dioxide emissions.
Human Development
Definition: Creating an environment for people to develop to their full potential, lead productive and creative lives, expand choices, enhance capabilities, access knowledge, health, a decent standard of living, and participate in community life.
Focus: Centers on people, their freedoms, choices, and equity.
Critical Elements: Access to choices, capabilities, and freedoms must be present and sustainable to acheive human development.
Human Development Index (HDI)
Definition: Tool by the UN to measure and rank countries' social and economic development.
Dimensions:
A long and healthy life.
Knowledge.
A decent standard of living.
Indicators:
Life expectancy at birth.
Mean years of schooling.
Expected years of schooling.
Gross National Income (GNI) per capita.
Scale: 0-1, closer to 1 indicates greater development.
Limitations:
Doesn't reflect inequalities within countries.
Based on averages.
Doesn't capture all aspects of human development (gender equality, freedom, etc.).
Advantages:
Provides a broad overview of regional trends and differences.
Allows for easier comparisons between countries and global standings.
Can highlight areas needing attention for policy development.
Health Status and Human Development
Key Indicators: Life expectancy, mortality, morbidity, burden of disease.
Life Expectancy: Increased globally, but can fluctuate due to conflict or disease.
Child Mortality: Under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) reflects nutritional and health status of mothers, health literacy, immunization, health services, income, food, water, and sanitation.
Adult Mortality: Influenced by lifestyle factors like smoking, alcohol, and HIV/AIDS.
Double Burden of Disease: Coexistence of conditions associated with both poverty and wealth (undernutrition and obesity).
Burden of Disease: Measured using YLL (years of life lost) and YLD (years lived with disability).
Human Development Index: Generally decreases from high to middle to low-income countries.
Access to Safe Water
Water that is not contaminated with disease-causing pathogens or chemicals.
Essential for consumption, agriculture, food preparation, and hygiene.
Lack of access contributes to diseases like diarrhea, cholera, and dysentery.
Can reduce education levels due to illness and time spent collecting water.
Access to Sanitation
Provision of facilities and services for the safe disposal of human waste.
Lack of sanitation leads to contaminated water supplies and infectious diseases.
Can prevent girls from attending school.
Poverty
Deprivation of material resources (food, shelter, water, healthcare) and intangible resources (social inclusion, education).
Measured as absolute/extreme poverty (living on < PPP $2.15 per day) or relative poverty (living on < 50% of country’s average income).
Restricts access to resources like nutritious food, clean water, sanitation, education, and healthcare.
Reduces opportunities for employment and perpetuates the cycle of poverty.
Discrimination
Unequal treatment due to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Leads to inequalities in health status and human development.
higher rates of depression/anxiety
higher rates of premature death, like U5MR, reducing the ability to lead long and healthy lives
more likely to be the victim of intentional violence.
Groups discriminated againist:
Discrimination against Race: those from minority racial groups, including indigenous peoples and migrants
Religion: those from minority religious groups
Sex: females
people in the LGBTQIA+ community
those who identify as a gender different from the sex assigned to them at birth.
PEOPLE
Human development is about creating an environment in which people can:
Participate in decisions that affect their lives
Expand their knowledge and choices
Opportunities for a productive and creative life
Participate in the life of the community
Lead long and healthy lives
Essential resources for a decent standard of living