Economic Instability as A Primary Driver of Cardiovascular Disease Deaths in Pakistan

Abstract

Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of mortality, mostly in developing countries like Pakistan. CVD is a major public health challenge in Pakistan, causing the highest number of deaths and putting substantial pressure on the healthcare system. The study examines the impact of various economic, environmental, and health-related factors on cardiovascular disease mortality rates in Pakistan. The time series data were collected over the last 23 years from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the World Bank, and the Global Burden of Disease (GBD). A quantitative research approach was applied to see the relationship between population and CVD mortality rate, as well as the impact assessment was conducted using regression analysis. The trend analysis indicated that population growth is not the only factor to account for the changes in the death rates from CVD, as it has shown significant fluctuations over the years, pointing out that other factors could have contributed. Regression results revealed that CO2 emissions, edible oil imports, and unemployment had a positive and statistically significant effect on the CVD mortality rate. While health expenditures, tobacco imports, and inflation showed an expected direct relationship but were statistically insignificant. Based on the findings, the study suggests stronger environmental regulation, reformed import policies for edible oil, and increased health expenditure may help in curbing the rising burden of mortalities caused by cardiovascular disease in Pakistan