The manuscript provides valuable insights, but several critical concerns need addressing. First, the exclusion of six countries without sufficient discussion risks selection bias, potentially impacting the generalizability of the findings. Second, while the QRPD methodology is novel, its advantages over alternative models are not convincingly justified. Finally, the interpretation of bidirectional causality and GPR’s mixed effects lacks depth, leaving important practical implications unexplored. Kindly provide clarifications or expansions on these points to enhance the robustness of the study.
