Question

Discuss the relationship between health and economic growth. What are the pros and cons of the two?

Answer 1

Health and Economic growth

Health is a state of being free from physical or psychological disease, illness or malfunction. The state of health among members of a family can determine the economic growth of the family also. Healthy people in a country can contribute to its economic growth and development vice versa economic growth of a country can contribute to the health status of its population by providing good standards of life and quality health care services.

Pros and cons health status: Studies show that countries with poor health status of population and low literacy rate are not growing economically for many decades. These countries find it difficult to grow economically like other countries. Healthy families and people in a country can work efficiently so that they can contribute to countries economy through agriculture, business, various material exports, taxes etc. Cost of healthcare services by Government also will be high in these countries as the population is suffering with different diseases. A huge amount of countries' income may spend in healthcare areas. These all affect the country's economic growth negatively.

In other hand economic growth of a country can affect the health of people in a nation.

Pros : * A developed country can provide quality health care services to its population at low or free of cost.

* High life standards of population reflects in their nutritious diet, seeking early health care services, proper immunization for the children.

* High literacy rate in developed or economically strong countries can result in high health literacy of the people in turn contribute to good health, hygiene.

* Economically strong countries may have a good disaster management system and implementation of preventive measures of epidemics or endemics.

Cons

* Increased use of automobiles, plastics by economically strong countries can leads to air and environmental pollution that deteriorate people's health.

* Depletion of bio fuels ( non renewable resources) and pure water etc.

* People who are living in high standards tend to decrease physical activity and increase in consumption of junk foods lead to Life style diseases such as Diabetes, Hypertension and heart diseases etc.