Inequalities in global health outcomes: evidence from mortality-related sustainable development indicators, Dana Copeland, Sunil Patel

Dana Burruss Copeland
DBA Research Scholar, Rushford Business School
Performance Medical 
USA
ORCID: 0009-0009-0202-6216
Sunil Patel
Professor, Unitedworld Institute of Management, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar
India
ORCID: 0000-0002-4669-7005

Purpose: This study examines inequalities in global health outcomes by analyzing mortality-related indicators aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3). The research aims to identify disparities in mortality patterns across countries and evaluate how these differences reflect broader challenges in achieving healthcare sustainability. 
Design: The study adopts a secondary data analysis using mortality-related SDG indicators reported by the World Health Organization through its Global Health Observatory and SDG monitoring framework. The dataset is derived from WHO’s consolidated SDG indicator reports (latest available global release covering the SDG baseline period from 2015 onwards, with updates through recent reporting cycles). Key variables include maternal mortality ratio, under-five mortality rate, neonatal mortality rate, and mortality attributed to major communicable and non-communicable diseases. A cross-country dataset is constructed by extracting comparable indicators for multiple countries across income groups. Data analysis involves descriptive statistics to examine distributional patterns, followed by inequality assessment using comparative metrics across country groups. The methodology ensures transparency through explicit variable selection, standardized indicator definitions (as provided by WHO SDG metadata), and reproducible data aggregation procedures. 
Findings: The analysis reveals significant disparities in mortality outcomes across countries, with higher mortality burdens concentrated in low- and lower-middle-income regions. Maternal and child mortality indicators show the greatest variation, indicating persistent gaps in access to essential healthcare services. These findings highlight that progress toward SDG 3 remains uneven and that structural inequalities continue to shape global health outcomes.
Implications: The findings underscore the need for targeted policy interventions prioritizing high-burden regions to reduce mortality inequalities and accelerate progress toward SDG 3. Strengthening health system capacity, resource allocation, and data-driven governance is essential to ensure more equitable and sustainable health outcomes globally.
Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by providing a structured quantitative assessment of global health inequalities using standardized mortality-related SDG indicators. Unlike descriptive policy reports, the research transforms WHO datasets into a comparative analytical framework that quantifies disparities and identifies patterns across countries.
Keywords: SDG 3, Mortality Indicators, Health Inequality, Global Health, Healthcare Sustainability, Secondary Data Analysis