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Top1. Introduction
Digitalization is an irreversible trend in the development of modern economies. Digital transformation brings inclusion, efficiency, and innovation that promote human prosperity (World Bank, 2016). Previous studies found various beneficial economic impacts of digitalization, including on economic growth (Niebel, 2018), trade (Adeleye et al., 2021), and productivity (Cardona et al., 2013). However, the effects of digitalizaton are not limited to the economic aspects. In the digital age, people's social life transforms more dramatically than ever, including changes in behavior, lifestyle, and social interactions. Different studies have produced mixed results about the impacts of the digital revolution on social life, but all emphasize the role of digital skills in determining individuals’ ability to reap digital dividends (Alhassan & Adam, 2021; Bucci et al., 2019). Hence, the final effect of digitalization on overall well-being is hitherto under investigated.
In this paper, we attempt to fill the gap in the literature by building a nexus between digitalization and life expectancy, one of the more easily measurable indicators for objective overall well-being. Our work contributes to the stream of studies that links megatrends in development, such as income growth (Pritchett & Summers, 1996), international trade (Owen & Wu, 2007), globalization (Bergh & Nilsson, 2010), to health status at country level. By adopting the Dahlgren-Whitehead rainbow model as a generalized theoretical framework, we bridge the link between digitalization and life expectancy. Following Goldfarb & Tucker (2019), we utilize the transaction cost approach to indicate the economic effects of digitalization on life expectancy as well as the non-economic impacts of digitalization on the population’s mental health. Empirical evidence on this link is also indicated. In this study, we use a panel data sample of 20 European countries to examine the robustness of the relationship, and how life expectancy is dependent on different dimensions of digitalization. Moreover, given the continuously reported evidence of the digital gender gap (Dixon et al., 2014; Larsson & Viitaoja, 2019; Elena-Bucea et al., 2020), we also aim to investigate the impact of digitalization on gender life expectancy inequality. Hafkin (2002) argued that social divisions in many aspects like education, income, occupation are generally associated with gender issues, hence, gender might play an important role in moderating the impacts of digitalization.
This article makes both theoretical and empirical contributions to the extant literature. Regarding the theoretical contributions, we utilize the Dahlgren-Whitehead rainbow model as a generalized theoretical framework for socioeconomic determinants of health. In addition, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of life expectancy, this theoretical framework is also useful in linking digitalization to life expectancy. Notably, this model also helps us identify mechanisms through which the digital transformation process influences the population’s life span. Regarding the empirical contributions, to our best knowledge, this paper is the first to empirically analyze the influences of digitalization on life expectancy. By focusing on the time of the Covid-19 health crisis, our paper is an attempt to explore the role of digital transformation in enhancing the life expectancy of people during a difficult time. However, due to the observation limitation, this empirical analysis could only serve as suggestions for policy decisions.