Analyzing Health Indicators: A Comprehensive Country Comparison

This report provides a comparative analysis of health indicators across Afghanistan, India, Mexico, and Canada, representing low, lower-middle, middle, and high-income countries, respectively. The analysis focuses on key indicators such as life expectancy, infant mortality rate, literacy rate, birth by skilled staff, and maternal mortality ratio to highlight health disparities. Factors contributing to these disparities, including education, economics, and sociological aspects, are examined. The report also explores potential global responses and country-specific efforts to address health challenges, such as WHO support for maternal and newborn services and national programs to improve literacy and healthcare access. The study concludes that a country's performance is significantly affected by these indicators, emphasizing the need for comprehensive strategies to improve overall health outcomes. Desklib provides solved assignments and resources for students.

Country Comparison Paper

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
Introduce topic.............................................................................................................................2
Introduce the chosen countries....................................................................................................2
Thesis statement...........................................................................................................................3
Analysis of health indicator disparities........................................................................................3
Analysis of factors contributing to the health challenges of the countries..................................4
Analysis of the potential global responses to address the health disparities and country efforts
to address their health challenges................................................................................................5
Self-reflection..............................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
The health of a country indicates different factors which help to determine about
country’s overall resources, education, healthy people etc. The current study will help to develop
a deep understanding pertaining to different countries by using effective sources. The current
report will select four countries on the basis of different income level and with the help of five
indicators it determines the performance of the country. Also, report will determine the health of
a countries by analysing some factors that assist to determine the disparities and then evaluate
the respond taken by the government in order to resolve the same. Further, reflection will be
added that help to determine the skills gained by the researcher while using different sources.
Introduce topic
Country comparison in which different countries selected and compared on the basis of
different factors that helps to determine the actual performance of a countries. This include
education, health care system, gender, infant mortality rate etc. For that the data will be collected
from the authentic source that assist to determine which factor negatively affect the country’s
performance. Also, the comparison will be done on the basis of different factors that help to
make decision in order to make decision.
Introduce the chosen countries
There are four different countries chosen for the present study which are as mentioned
below:
 Afghanistan: The country is one of the low income country in the world because poverty
is widespread in rural and urban areas. In this, it has been estimated that four out of five
poor people live in rural areas, that is why, it is ranked as a poor country.
 India: The country is fall under the category of lower middle income group because there
are diverse group by size, population and income level. Here, the per capital income of
the people fall under this category and that is why, it is ranked within lower middle
income
 Mexico: The country is fall under the category of Middle income group because it has
growing economy and rick in cultural history.

 Canada: The country is one of the high income level and ranked 18th because the GNI per
capita is highest.
Thesis statement
To determine the health of different countries, fall under the category of low, lower
middle, middle and high income groups by evaluating different indicators.
Analysis of health indicator disparities
Particulars Afghanistan India Mexico Canada
Life
expectancy
(2020 year)
It has 65.17 rate
which is in
increasing trend
that determine it is
actually low from
the standard
criteria.
India has
increasing trend
of life
expectancy rate
from last many
years i.e. 69.89
years on 2020
It has the highest
life expectancy
rate because the
average life
estimated in 2020
is 75.13, though it
determine the
fluctuating trend
(Life expectancy
at birth, total
(years), 2022).
The life
expectancy rate is
keep increasing
because it has
estimated rate is
82.51 years up to
2020.
Mortality
rate, Infant
(in 2020)
The value of
Mortality rate,
Infant is 45 which
is decreasing that
is a good sign
because per 1000
live births only 45
children die under
the one year age.
In 2020, the
mortality rate is
27 that reflect
the declining
stage.
The country has
an average
mortality death
rate i.e. 11.80 and
it shows the
decreasing rate.
One of the lowest
rate i.e. 4.40 which
shows that country
have low infant
mortality death
rate. That means
death rate of infant
is low (Mortality
rate, infant (per
1,000 live births),

2022).
Literacy
rate (in
2020)
The literacy rate of
adult is 31.45
which is too low
as compared to
other (Literacy
rate, Adult total,
2021).
India has 74.37
literacy rate data
which is good
that reflect such
proportion of
people can
communicate
effectively.
Mexico has 95.25
literacy rate that
is far better than
other lower
middle income
countries
In 2018, the
country rate is
99% which best
where people can
easily share the
views to other
Birth
attended by
skilled
health staff
In 2018 data,
Afghanistan have
only 58.80 skilled
staff which need to
be improve
(Births attended
by skilled health
staff, 2022).
81.40 is the birth
attended by
skilled staff
which reflect
average skill
attendant
96.40 is the
skilled staff as per
the data collected
on 2016.
98 is the Birth
attended by skilled
health staff.
Maternal
mortality
ratio (in
2017)
Afghanistan have
highest MMR i.e.
638
India has 145
MMR rate
(Maternal
mortality ratio,
2022).
Mexico has
lowest MMR
ratio as compared
to other i.e. 33
Only 10 MMR
ratio which is best
due to having
enough resource.
Analysis of factors contributing to the health challenges of the countries
Education: It create a direct impact over the health of country such that a country has
high literacy rate which means that mothers can improve children’s nutrition and vaccination rate
that reduce death rate of a country (Ali, Shuib and Nor, 2021). Like, Afghanistan have low
literacy rate as compared to other country that reflect high mortality rate and raise unemployment

rate. Whereas, India has a good literacy rate as compared to Afghanistan but there is a need to
improve the same to get better results, otherwise country might face issue of low immunization,
high MMR and raise in death rate. In the case of Mexico, which has strong literacy rate and that
is why, people can communicate others and this contribute to fight against other indicators and
make people more productive. Lastly, Canada has a high literacy rate where people do not face
any issue and this help to improve the health of a country.
Economics: A strong GDP in a country contribute to improve the health of a country but
low public infrastructure and medical technology lead to decrease the health of a country. Like,
the income level of Afghanistan is low because of loss of access to food, water and health care
facility. Due to low employment rate, youngsters are not able to find the jobs and affect the
health in negative manner. In India, economic growth is slow due to large population and due to
underdeveloped country, it is fall under lower middle income people. In Mexico, the country has
strong economy because of low unemployment rates, high literacy rate and good GHDP as
compared to overall countries i.e. $2.9 trillion. Canada has a strong economic condition and that
is why, the country is ranked highest as compared to other. The rationale for the same is its
economy grow year by year and income level is also high.
Sociological: With the help of this factor, country determine the pattern of care, health
care cost that contribute to the health of a country. Afghanistan have low level of health care
system and poor literacy rate (lack of education) and that is why, it ranked under low income
people. Whereas India has number of colleges that provide better education to students but do
not have enough resource but Mexico has strong resource regarding to education, low poverty
level and this in turn assist provide better health of country as compared to India. Canada has a
strong resource to respond any health issue and high income level of people to respond the same
and that is why, the country has a strong performance to others.
Analysis of the potential global responses to address the health disparities and country efforts to
address their health challenges
The disparities among countries is due to shortage of resources, lack of awareness and
disputes between the internal political system and as a result, it affects the overall health of a
country.

 Under medical and health science, WHO provide support to deliver essential packages of
high-quality maternal and new born services with the help of technical guidance through
country program. This in turn assist to reduce the MMR ratio by providing guideline to
nurturing care of newborn baby (Access to a ‘continuum of care’ needed, before, during
and after pregnancy and childbirth, 2022).
 In order to improve literacy rate, country like India implement different programs to
encourage student towards education like Mid-day Meal, scholarship examination,
awareness program, Samagra Shiksha Programme to improve school effectiveness.
 In order to respond socio-economic context, care policy has been implemented that helps
to provide opportunities to the countries. The same is used by Mexico under 4th Action
plan that provide commitment on strengthening public care services in order to provide
respond to gender inequality (How Mexico Can Strengthen Public Care Services to
Reduce Gender Inequality, 2022).
Self-reflection
Through the study, my perception towards a topic has change because after research I
develop a deep understanding and determine how the factor contribute or affect the entire
country’s performance in negative manner. This in turn assist me to develop a deep
understanding pertaining to the chosen topic.
With the help of present research, I enhance learning and improve my research skill by
using different key terms. Also, as a learner, I develop a deep understanding pertaining to the
indicators and this will help me in my future as well. Moreover, my writing skill has also
improved by conducting study on this particular topic.
My learning will also be helpful in near future because it assists me to calculate the
indicators that affect the health of a country. Also, I improved my learning from this paper that
will also assist me to make decision and I realise that in future when the same study will be
conducted, I use different strategy that aid me to learn more.
CONCLUSION
By summing up above report it has been concluded that country’s performance has
affected from different indicators and the overall health is also depending upon the same. There

are five indicator used for the present study and through comparison it has been concluded that
Afghanistan have low income due to less resources and India is ranked under lower middle
income but less literacy rate as compared to Mexico. Canada is fall under high income due to
enough health services and high income group people. However, paper concluded that each
country comply with the defined global government responses in order to minimise the health
challenge that assist to improve the performance.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ali, M.A., Shuib, M.S. and Nor, A.M., 2021. Protection of Bank's Wealth: How is Islamic
Banks's Financial Performance Affected by Asset Quality and Operational
Efficiency. Accounting and Finance. 9(4). pp.745-756.
Online
Access to a ‘continuum of care’ needed, before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth.
2022. [Online]. Available through: <https://www.who.int/news/item/05-10-2021-new-
global-targets-to-prevent-maternal-deaths>.
Births attended by skilled health staff. 2022. [Online]. Available through:
<https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.BRTC.ZS?end=2020&start=2000>.
How Mexico Can Strengthen Public Care Services to Reduce Gender Inequality. 2022. [Online].
Available through: <https://www.opengovpartnership.org/stories/how-mexico-can-
strengthen-public-care-services-to-reduce-gender-inequality/ >.
Life expectancy at birth, total (years). 2022. [Online]. Available through:
<https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN?end=2020&start=2000>.
Literacy rate, Adult total. 2021. [Online]. Available through:
<https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.LITR.ZS>.
Maternal mortality ratio. 2022. [Online]. Available through:
<https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.MMRT?name_desc=false>.
Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births). 2022. [Online]. Available through:
<https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.IMRT.IN?
end=2020&locations=AT&name_desc=true&start=2000>.