Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Public Health 2251-6085 49 9 2020 08 24 1709 1717 EN Khaled TAFRAN Department of Administrative Studies and Politics, Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Makmor TUMIN Department of Administrative Studies and Politics, Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Ahmad Farid OSMAN Department of Applied Statistics, Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2018 06 28 2018 11 28 Background: We examined whether multidimensional poverty index (MPI) explained variations in life expectancy (LE) better than income poverty; and assessed the relative importance of MPI indicators in influencing LE. Methods: Cross-sectional data from 62 developing countries were used to run several multivariate linear regressions. R2 was used to compare the powers of MPI with income-poverties (income poverty gaps [IPG] at 1.9 and 3.1 USD) in explaining LE. Results: Adjusting for controls, both MPI (β =-0.245, P<0.001) and IPG at 3.1 USD (β=-0.135, P=0.044) significantly correlates with LE, but not IPG at 1.9 USD (β=-0.147, P=0.135). MPI explains 12.1% of the variation in LE compared to only 3.2% explained by IPG at 3.1 USD. The effect of MPI on LE is higher on female (β=-0.210, P<0.001) than male (β=-0.177, P<0.001). The relative influence of the deprivation indictors on LE ranks as follows (most to least): Asset ownership, drinking water, cooking fuel, flooring, child school attendance, years of schooling, nutrition, mortality, improved sanitation, and electricity. Conclusion: Interventions to reduce poverty and improve LE should be guided by MPI, not income poverty indices. Such policies should be female-oriented and prioritized based on the relative influence of the various poverty deprivation indicators on LE. https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/13864 https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/download/13864/6979