Do democratic regimes exhibit ‘better’ health outcomes?

Individuals living in democracies, unlike those exposed to autocracies and dictatorships, typically exhibit equally before the law, and are provided important spheres of autonomy to determine their life courses, even when they might still face inequality in such choices. Indeed, citizens in democratic regimes hold some legal and social instruments to control power and are represented directly or indirectly in institutions which they elect. Their preferences, including their trade-offs between health and other social programs, are taken into consideration and contribute to the formation of government actions. Different country-specific democratic institutions can vary in how effectively equal individuals are, how strictly they apply rules of law and how they aggregate preferences (