本文主要探討預防性醫療支出、治療性醫療支出對健康和經濟表現的影響。近年來，隨著所得提升、醫療科技進步，進入高齡化社會，醫療支出占國內生產毛額(GDP)比率也逐年攀升，醫療資源分配成為重要議題，龐大的支出是否會造成財政負擔、拖垮經濟。常言道「預防勝於治療」，若能把健康支出運用在預防性醫療上，是否能藉由預防保健的推廣改善國民健康狀況，節省後續的治療支出，提升健康的人力資本與生產力，進而帶動經濟成長。本研究蒐集OECD成員29個國家1998-2013資料為樣本，採用追蹤資料迴歸分析方法，驗證此推斷。
　　研究結果顯示，預防及公衛支出(Prevention and public health)對健康表現、經濟成長具有顯著且存在非線性的影響；群體醫療支出增加對經濟有負面影響，另外治療性醫療支出(總醫療支出扣除群體醫療支出部分)對經濟成長有顯著非線性影響。亦即，追求經濟成長極大化，預防及公衛支出和治療性支出占GDP比率存在最適比率。

This study aims to examine the influences of preventive and curative health expenditures on health status and economic performance. Recently, the health expenditure has increased due to economic development, the progress of health technology and the coming of aging society. The allocation of medical resources and whether the huge expenditure will lead to a financial burden became an important issue. Whether the investment on prevention can reduce future curative health expenditure, raise the health stock, promote the productivity, and stimulate economic growth receives our attentions. Based on OECD country experiences over the period 1998-2013, this study examines prevention-growth and prevention-health nexus.
Empirical results: Prevention and public health expenditure have non-linear effects on health status and economic growth. An increase in collective health expenditure negatively influences economic growth. Curative health expenditure (total health expenditure minus collective health expenditure) ambiguously affects economic growth. There are optimum devotion of prevention, public health expenditure, and curative health expenditure for stimulating economic growth.

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