Abstract
BACKGROUND: Smoking seems to be one of the serious health problems of present-day society, even in developed countries. In addition, smoking and its consequences may have a significant impact on health expenditure.
AIM: Objective of the study is to determine the impact of smoking on health expenditure in a sample of the OECD member countries. DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS (METHODS): Analytical procedures examine data from 2011 to 2018.
Six variables, including two dependent (Health expenditure in US Dollars per capita and Health expenditure (% of GDP)) and four independent variables focused on smoking and tobacco consumption. SAMPLE: The sample consisted of all the OECD countries.
RESULTS: For the variable identifying healthcare funding in terms of GDP, a impact was evident in smokers over 15 years of age, as well as those in the age range from 15 to 24 years. In the case of health expenditure per capita, an impact appeared only in smokers over 15 years of age.
A medium-to-substantial rate of relation was identified in the link between health expenditure per capita and both smokers aged over 15 and smokers aged between 15 and 24. The relations that were analysed were negative.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study show that smoking has a negative impact on health expenditure.