The Effect of Information Communication Technology (ICT) on Health Outcomes: Evidence from BRICS-T Countries

In this study, the effect of ICTs on health output in BRICS countries and Turkey, both on a panel and country basis, was analyzed using data from the period 1990-2018. According to the findings obtained for the overall panel, in the long run, all the variables are statistically significant in the PMG estimator, but not in the MG estimator. The use of mobile and fixed phones, which are among the variables representing ICTs, affects negatively, and internet use has a positive effect. When the findings are evaluated according to the groups, all of the variables belonging to ICTs have a positive sign in the Turkey sample. In countries other than Turkey, the coefficients for the number of fixed and mobile phone subscribers have negative values and affect the life expectancy negatively in the short term, and the number of internet users have a positive sign and affect the life expectancy positively.