Shifting Dynamics: Exploring the Evolving Relationship between Health, Education, and Productivity in an Aging Society -

Health and education are recognized worldwide as driving factors for productivity. These variables were largely studied between 1960 to 2000, a context, where the median age was relatively young, and the improvement in health and education contributed to increased productivity. Today, the societal landscape is vastly different; the

median working age has increased due to better healthcare and prevention and there is some evidence that productivity decreases with age beyond a threshold age. Hence, my question is whether the factors identified in the earlier period as drivers of productivity still apply in the context of an aging society and whether there are

differences in their impact. My PhD aims to analyse the impact of these variables on the economy and evaluate their consequences on productivity. The second aspect of my research involves the analysis of these relationships in regional scenarios, specifically investigating if there are significant discrepancies within the same countries. The

research will be undertaken for several countries, the UK and Italy, and may be extended to China, given its one child policy. My research will involve a detailed examination of health and skills supplies within the UK at a regional level, working as part of a team for a project in The Productivity Institute (TPI). I will also focus on health

delivery by the healthcare sector, comparing the UK and the Netherlands, as part of an Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) project.