The Impact of Digital Lifestyle on Healthcare Expenditures and Its Economic Consequences on Labor Productivity in Iran
Subject Areas : medical documents
1 - Assistant professor, Dpartment of Sociology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
Keywords: Digital lifestyle, Healthcare expenditures, Labor productivity, Quantile regression.,
Abstract :
Introduction: Digital lifestyle and behaviors related to modern technologies have increasingly impacted societies worldwide. These lifestyle changes, especially in developing countries, can have significant social, cultural, economic, and health-related consequences.
Methods: In this context, the present study aims to investigate the impact of digital lifestyle on healthcare expenditures and its economic consequences on labor productivity in Iran during the period from 2011 to 2024 based on quarterly data. The data analysis method used was quantile regression.
Results: The results show that the coefficient of the digital lifestyle variable is positive and significant across all deciles, indicating that as internet usage and digital lifestyle increase, healthcare expenditures generally rise. The coefficient of this variable is higher in the upper deciles (0.9) compared to the lower deciles (0.1), suggesting that greater use of digital technologies directly impacts healthcare costs. The labor productivity coefficient is also positive and significant across all deciles, indicating that as labor productivity increases, healthcare expenditures naturally rise. Labor productivity has a greater impact on healthcare costs in higher deciles. Additionally, it was observed that the impact of digital lifestyle on healthcare expenditures is particularly more pronounced in sections of society with higher labor productivity.
Conclusion: The overall conclusion of this study suggests that digital lifestyle, particularly through its negative effects on labor productivity and increased healthcare expenditures, requires special attention and measures in social and economic policymaking.
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