{
  "title": "A Comparative Analysis of Government Social Spending Indicators and Their Correlation with Social Outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa",
  "publication": "IMF Working Papers, October 1, 2002",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/a-comparative-analysis-of-government-social-spending-indicators-and-their-correlation-with-16103",
  "canonical": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/a-comparative-analysis-of-government-social-spending-indicators-and-their-correlation-with-16103",
  "overlayPath": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/a-comparative-analysis-of-government-social-spending-indicators-and-their-correlation-with-16103/index.md",
  "summary": "This paper analyzes trends in social indicators in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and their correlation with the three most widely used scaled measures of government social spending: in per capita terms, as a percentage of GDP, and as a percentage of total government expenditure.",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Summary and Main Finding",
      "content": "- This paper analyzes trends in social indicators in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and their correlation with the three most widely used scaled measures of government social spending: in per capita terms, as a percentage of GDP, and as a percentage of total government expenditure.\n- Cross-country statistical analysis shows:\n  - Spending in per capita terms is of some relevance to social outcomes.\n  - Spending as a percent of GDP is of some relevance to social outcomes.\n  - The share of social spending in total government expenditure is not of relevance to social outcomes.\n- The analysis is based on a regional data set matching health and education outcome indicators with government spending on those sectors."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Data, Scope, and Methodology (as described)",
      "content": "- Regional data set matching health and education outcome indicators with government spending on those sectors.\n- Cross-country statistical analysis used to test correlations between spending measures and social outcomes."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Policy Implications",
      "content": "- Findings have implications for:\n  - Governments in sub-Saharan Africa regarding prioritization and scaling of social spending.\n  - The international donor community for its role in supporting social programs in SSA.\n- Implicit policy focus:\n  - Emphasize increasing per capita social spending and social spending as a percent of GDP where feasible.\n  - Reconsider reliance on the share of social spending in budgetary allocations as an indicator of likely social outcomes.\n\n---\n\n Content in this bundle\n\n- wp02176\n  - wp02176 (Markdown version){rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text/markdown\"}\n  - wp02176 (PDF){rel=\"external\" type=\"application/pdf\"}\n\n---\n\nSource: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/a-comparative-analysis-of-government-social-spending-indicators-and-their-correlation-with-16103"
    }
  ],
  "bullets": [
    "[Markdown version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/a-comparative-analysis-of-government-social-spending-indicators-and-their-correlation-with-16103/index.md)",
    "[Structured JSON version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/a-comparative-analysis-of-government-social-spending-indicators-and-their-correlation-with-16103/index.json)",
    "[Bundle manifest](/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/a-comparative-analysis-of-government-social-spending-indicators-and-their-correlation-with-16103/bundle-manifest.json)",
    "Authors: Paulo Silva Lopes",
    "Published: October 1, 2002",
    "Series: IMF Working Papers",
    "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781451858822.001",
    "This paper analyzes trends in social indicators in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and their correlation with the three most widely used scaled measures of government social spending: in per capita terms, as a percentage of GDP, and as a percentage of total government expenditure.",
    "Cross-country statistical analysis shows:",
    "The analysis is based on a regional data set matching health and education outcome indicators with government spending on those sectors.",
    "Regional data set matching health and education outcome indicators with government spending on those sectors.",
    "Cross-country statistical analysis used to test correlations between spending measures and social outcomes.",
    "Findings have implications for:",
    "Implicit policy focus:",
    "**_wp02176**"
  ],
  "related": [
    {
      "title": "_wp02176",
      "role": "document",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/wp/2002/_wp02176.pdf",
      "summary": {
        "path": "/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/wp/2002/_wp02176.pdf.md",
        "mime": "text/markdown"
      },
      "binary": {
        "path": "/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/wp/2002/_wp02176.pdf",
        "mime": "application/pdf"
      }
    }
  ],
  "alternates": {
    "markdown": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/a-comparative-analysis-of-government-social-spending-indicators-and-their-correlation-with-16103/index.md",
    "json": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/a-comparative-analysis-of-government-social-spending-indicators-and-their-correlation-with-16103/index.json",
    "bundleManifest": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/a-comparative-analysis-of-government-social-spending-indicators-and-their-correlation-with-16103/bundle-manifest.json"
  },
  "generatedAtUtc": "2026-09-17T05:14:15.213Z"
}