Complex interactions in healthcare expenditure through the years: A panel data analysis using fsQCA in OECD countries with policy implications

Abstract

This paper presents a novel longitudinal study examining interactions in healthcare expenditure (HCE). Utilizing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), the study constructs a consumption-provision-finance model to investigate factors influencing HCE. Data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) database for the years 2010-2022 are analyzed, covering 37 OECD countries (excluding Luxembourg due to insufficient data). By treating each country-year OECD observation as a case, causal recipes are identified and interpreted. The characteristics of the panel data set are examined by assessing the stability of causal patterns over multiple years and exploring the consistency of these patterns within individual countries across various years. The findings of this study offer significant insights for policy management and future research, particularly in relation to the diverse annual relationships observed between factors and HCE in different countries. Additionally, comparisons are drawn between panel fsQCA and cross-sectional fsQCA conducted for specific years.