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Promoting active transport through health information: evidence from a randomized controlled trial

Author

Listed:
  • Lassi Ahlvik

    (University of Helsinki, Department of Economics and Management)

  • Anna Sahari

    (VATT Institute for Economic Research)

Abstract

The negative health impacts of passive transport can be substantial both from the individual point of view and with respect to public spending on health. We run a field-experiment to study the effectiveness of information in encouraging active transport choices. The treatment is carried out using a smartphone application that automatically tracks users’ daily transport choices. We find that the treatment group receives and internalizes the information, but we do not find a statistically signifcant effect on their travel behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Lassi Ahlvik & Anna Sahari, 2023. "Promoting active transport through health information: evidence from a randomized controlled trial," Working Papers 16, Finnish Centre of Excellence in Tax Systems Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:fit:wpaper:16
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Transport Externalities; Active travel; Health Behaviour; Nudging;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise
    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General

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