This chapter aims to identify disparities in mortality patterns across countries and evaluate how these differences reflect challenges in achieving healthcare sustainability.
The study employs a descriptive quantitative design based on secondary data from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Bank, and the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A purposive sample of 50 countries was analysed from 2015 to the latest available year (2019-2024) for four key mortality-related SDG 3 indicators: maternal mortality ratio (MMR), under-five mortality rate (U5MR), neonatal mortality rate (NMR), and premature non-communicable diseases (NCDs) mortality. Comparative analytical techniques, including absolute change, percentage change, distance-to-target (DTT) assessment and the income-vulnerability ratio, were used to examine distributional patterns and changes over time.
The results reveal substantial variation in all four selected indicators across WHO regions. However, premature NCD mortality indicates persistent gaps in early diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases. Income-related vulnerability remains one of the major challenges for healthcare sustainability.
The study contributes to SDG 3 research by identifying whether a decline in mortality corresponds to advancement towards the 2030 SDG 3 target. By proposing a comprehensive mortality-sustainability risk framework, the study contributes by translating descriptive mortality trends into context-specific policy interventions, thus providing an analytical approach that can be incorporated into future global SDG research.
Copeland, D.B. and Patel, S. (2026): Inequalities in Global Health Outcomes: Evidence from Mortality-Related Sustainable Development Indicators. In Ahmed, A. (Ed.): World Sustainable Development Outlook 2026, Vol. 22, pp. 233-252. WASD: London, United Kingdom.
