Analysis of economic and educational spillover effects in PEPFAR countries

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289909
• Publication Date: 2023-12-29T18:30:55Z
• Authors: William Crown; Dhwani Hariharan; Jennifer Kates; Gary Gaumer; Monica Jordan; Clare Hurley; Yiqun Luan; Allyala Nandakumar
• Keywords: Male; Science; International Cooperation; Gross Domestic Product; Q; 05 social sciences; R; HIV Infections; United States; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; 0502 economics and business; Medicine; Humans; Educational Status; Female; Research Article

The United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has been credited with saving millions lives and helping to change the trajectory of global human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic. This study assesses whether PEPFAR had impacts beyond health by examining changes in five economic educational outcomes countries: gross domestic product (GDP) per capita growth rate; share girls boys, respectively, who are out school; female male employment rates. We constructed a panel data set 157 low- middle-income countries between 1990 2018 estimate macroeconomic PEPFAR. Our group included 90 that received support over period. comparison 67 not any or minimal (<$1M <$.05 capita) 2004 2018. used differences (DID) methods program on outcome measures. finds is associated increases GDP rate outcomes. In some models, we find reductions employment. However, these effects appear be due trends rather than programmatic show most pronounced COP receiving highest levels investment.