Background: Over the last decade, total healthcare expenditures, comprised of both public and private healthcare expenditures, have increased in most East African countries. At the same time, health outcomes such as infant mortality rates, life expectancy at birth and other health outcome indicators have improved. Objectives: This paper examines the association between healthcare expenditures and health outcomes for eight East African countries: Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. In this study, health outcomes are defined as an improvement in adult life expectancy and a reduction in the number of neonatal, infant, and under-five deaths. Methods: We implemented a panel data regression technique, analyzing both cross-sectional and time series information. This combined method has been used in healthcare studies by several authors. Data obtained from world development indicators for the years 2000-2014 was used for the panel study. Results: First, we documented that there is a strong, positive association between total healthcare expenditures and total life expectancy. While we identified a positive relationship between healthcare expenditures and female and male life expectancy, we found that healthcare had a stronger effect on improving life expectancy in females than in males. Moreover, we found a negative relationship between healthcare expenditures and the number of neonatal, infant, and under-five deaths. Conclusion:The results of this study have important policy and management implications for the eight East African countries. From a policy perspective, it is necessary to understand if a greater allocation of resources to the healthcare sector is worthwhile and to determine whether to encourage private healthcare investment. From the management perspective, investing in more private institutions, such as hospitals and clinics, is essential for health outcomes in the average country. The results of this study can be used by the World Health Organization as well as other non-governmental organizations that provide financial assistance to East African countries.

This study investigates the bank selection criteria of undergraduate students who are future potential customers of banks from different regions of the world in a small island economy by comparing the selection factors of international students for the first time. Survey results of 258 respondents show that there are not huge differences in the bank selection factors between Turkish and non-Turkish international students in the case of a state university in North Cyprus. “Availability and convenient location of ATM services” and “speed and quality of service” are the most important factors for considering banks and their services for both Turkish and non-Turkish undergraduate students.

PurposeThere are international students studying in the universities of Northern Cyprus that come from more than 68 countries. Travel agencies are among those firms which are affected the most from these international students. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate how international students perceive travel agency services by using the SERVQUAL instrument.Design/methodology/approachA total of 579 university students studying at the universities of Northern Cyprus responded to a revised version of the SERVQUAL instrument. After a descriptive analysis, a multivariate regression was used to estimate the impact of service quality dimensions on overall student satisfaction and positive word of mouth.FindingsResearch results reveal that the expectations of university students are not met and that the largest gap was found in the “empathy” dimension. Results also reveal that the service quality perceptions of Turkish students coming from Turkey significantly differ from that of Turkish Cypriot and other overseas students. The “responsiveness” dimension has the largest influence on student satisfaction in the case of Turkish Cypriot and other overseas students, and the “empathy” dimension has the largest influence on the satisfaction of Turkish students coming from Turkey. Finally, overall satisfaction of all students has a positive and statistically significant impact on their word of mouth.Originality/valueMillions of students pursue their higher education abroad; therefore, they extensively benefit from travel agencies. The present study is the first of its kind that investigates service quality evaluations and satisfaction levels of international students for travel agencies in Northern Cyprus, a non‐recognized small island state that managed to attract international students from more than 69 different countries.