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Predicting health behaviors with an experimental measure of risk preference

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Author Info
Anderson, Lisa R.
Mellor, Jennifer M.

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Abstract

We conduct a large-scale economics experiment paired with a survey to examine the association between individual risk preference and health-related behaviors among adults aged 18-87 years. Risk preference is measured by the lottery choice experiment designed by Holt and Laury [Holt, C.A., Laury, S.K., 2002. Risk aversion and incentive effects. The American Economic Review 92(5), 1644-1655]. Controlling for subject demographic and economic characteristics, we find that risk aversion is negatively and significantly associated with cigarette smoking, heavy drinking, being overweight or obese, and seat belt non-use. In additional specifications, we find that risk aversion is negatively and significantly associated with the likelihood a subject engaged in any of five risky behaviors and the number of risky behaviors reported.

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Publisher Info
Article provided by Elsevier in its journal Journal of Health Economics.

Volume (Year): 27 (2008)
Issue (Month): 5 (September)
Pages: 1260-1274
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Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:27:y:2008:i:5:p:1260-1274

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Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/505560

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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Alejandra Cortes Aguilar & Antonio Espín Martín & Filippos Exadaktylos & Oyediran Segun & Luis Alejandro Palacios García & Antonios Proestakis, 2008. "Alcohol Consumption and Risk Attitude," ThE Papers 08/09, Department of Economic Theory and Economic History of the University of Granada.. [Downloadable!]
  2. Lisa R. Anderson & Beth A. Freeborn & Jason P. Hulbert, 2009. "Risk Aversion and Tacit Collusion in a Bertrand Duopoly Experiment," Working Papers 84, Department of Economics, College of William and Mary. [Downloadable!]
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