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Are investments in disease prevention complements? The case of statins and health behaviors

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  • Kaestner, Robert
  • Darden, Michael
  • Lakdawalla, Darius

Abstract

We obtain estimates of associations between statin use and health behaviors. Statin use is associated with a small increase in BMI and moderate (20–33%) increases in the probability of being obese. Statin use was also associated with a significant (e.g., 15% of mean) increase in moderate alcohol use among men. There was no consistent evidence of a decrease in smoking associated with statin use, and exercise worsened somewhat for females. Statin use was associated with increased physical activity among males. Finally, there was evidence that statin use increased the use of blood pressure medication and aspirin for both males and females, although estimates varied considerably in magnitude. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that healthy diet is a strong substitute for statins, but there is only uneven evidence for the hypothesis that investments in disease prevention are complementary.

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  • Kaestner, Robert & Darden, Michael & Lakdawalla, Darius, 2014. "Are investments in disease prevention complements? The case of statins and health behaviors," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 151-163.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:36:y:2014:i:c:p:151-163
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2014.04.006
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    2. Wiktor Adamowicz & Mark Dickie & Shelby Gerking & Marcella Veronesi & David Zinner, 2014. "Household Decision Making and Valuation of Environmental Health Risks to Parents and Their Children," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 1(4), pages 481-519.
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    5. David B Agus & Étienne Gaudette & Dana P Goldman & Andrew Messali, 2016. "The Long-Term Benefits of Increased Aspirin Use by At-Risk Americans Aged 50 and Older," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(11), pages 1-12, November.
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    7. Friedman, Willa Helterline, 2018. "Antiretroviral drug access and behavior change," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 392-411.
    8. Danea Horn, 2024. "From prevention to treatment: Prescription medication, information, and health behaviors," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(11), pages 2618-2644, November.
    9. Thomas W. Carton & Michael Darden & John Levendis & Sang H. Lee & Iben Ricket, 2016. "Comprehensive Indoor Smoking Bans and Smoking Prevalence: Evidence from the BRFSS," American Journal of Health Economics, MIT Press, vol. 2(4), pages 535-556, Fall.
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    11. Abraham Abebe Asfaw, 2019. "The effect of prescription drug insurance on health behavior: Evidence from Medicare Part D," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(3), pages 403-418, March.
    12. Darden, Michael E. & Papageorge, Nicholas W., 2024. "Rational self-medication," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Health behaviors; Prevention; Health investment; Statins; Complementarity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior

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