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What is more important for prostitute price? Physical appearance or risky sex behavior?

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  • Chang, Hung-Hao
  • Weng, Yungho

Abstract

Using a unique random survey of prostitutes in Taipei city of Taiwan, this study investigates the association between obesity, condom use and prostitutes’ price. Results show that overweight prostitutes charge less for their services. However, prostitutes charge more for performing risky sex regardless of the weight status. By further looking at weight and height, we found that the price of prostitutes is only associated with weight.

Suggested Citation

  • Chang, Hung-Hao & Weng, Yungho, 2012. "What is more important for prostitute price? Physical appearance or risky sex behavior?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 117(2), pages 480-483.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:117:y:2012:i:2:p:480-483
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2012.06.041
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Johnston, David W., 2010. "Physical appearance and wages: Do blondes have more fun?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 108(1), pages 10-12, July.
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    4. Berri, David J. & Simmons, Rob & Van Gilder, Jennifer & O'Neill, Lisle, 2011. "What does it mean to find the face of the franchise? Physical attractiveness and the evaluation of athletic performance," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 111(3), pages 200-202, June.
    5. Hamermesh, Daniel S & Biddle, Jeff E, 1994. "Beauty and the Labor Market," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(5), pages 1174-1194, December.
    6. Rao, Vijayendra & Gupta, Indrani & Lokshin, Michael & Jana, Smarajit, 2003. "Sex workers and the cost of safe sex: the compensating differential for condom use among Calcutta prostitutes," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(2), pages 585-603, August.
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    8. Adela de la Torre & Arthur Havenner & Katherine Adams & Justin Ng, 2010. "Premium Sex: Factors Influencing the Negotiated Price of Unprotected Sex by Female Sex Workers in Mexico," Journal of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(1), pages 67-90, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Andreas Lindenblatt & Peter Egger, 2017. "The long shadow of the Iron Curtain for female sex workers in German cities: Border effects and regional differences," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 54(3), pages 649-677, February.
    2. S. Baert & L. Decuypere, 2014. "Better sexy than flexy? A lab experiment assessing the impact of perceived attractiveness and personality traits on hiring decisions," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(9), pages 597-601, June.
    3. Peter Egger & Andreas Lindenblatt, 2015. "Endogenous risk-taking and physical appearance of sex workers," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 16(9), pages 941-949, December.
    4. Pokatovich, Elena (Покатович, Елена) & Matyushonok, Vladislav, 2017. "Price setting in online Prostitution Market [Ценообразование На Рынке Онлайн-Проституции]," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 3, pages 222-235, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Obesity; Risky sex; Prostitute price; Taiwan;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior

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