Youth and Health Inequality in Africa: Does Age Moderate the Effect of Poverty?

This study addresses four major gaps in existing research on poverty and health in Africa. First, prior studies rarely consider moderation effects, particularly how age shapes the link between poverty and health outcomes. Second, research often focuses on isolated health indicators, overlooking broader institutional factors such as healthcare access systems and corruption. Third, data and design limitations persist, especially the scarcity of longitudinal datasets. Even so, rigorous cross-sectional moderation analysis can still illuminate developmental differences. Fourth, national contexts vary widely across the continent, with differing structures of poverty and health governance that influence age-related patterns in health vulnerability. Drawing on Round 8 (2019) Afrobarometer data from 34 countries and 47,405 respondents, the study employs three sets of regression models. A complementary log-log model estimates the likelihood of going without healthcare, suitable for this relatively rare event. Negative log-log bivariate and multivariate models assess the probability of paying a bribe for healthcare and the difficulty of accessing care. These models first examine unadjusted relationships between poverty, age, and health outcomes, then incorporate controls to reveal deeper patterns. The results show that poverty consistently increases health-related disadvantages, and although education and employment contribute to understanding these effects, they do not eliminate them. Youth emerge as especially vulnerable, and once controls are included, additional inequalities—such as those linked to gender and urban–rural divides—become more apparent. The findings underscore the need for integrated policies that combine poverty reduction, youth-focused interventions, strengthened health systems, and anti-corruption efforts to advance health equity and universal health coverage across Africa.