ISSN:
1573-0476
Keywords:
health care
;
government policy and risk perceptions
;
passive smoking
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Economics
Notes:
Abstract Individuals exhibit systematic tendencies to overstate the risks of unlikely lethal events. If the risks of passive smoking are overstated in this manner, and if passive smoking is not harmful to adult health, then passive smoking by adults should have a discernible effect on subjective evaluations of health status, but no corresponding effect on health. This idea is examined empirically below using data from the National Health Interview Surveys. The empirical results can be summarized as follows. Passive smoking is associated with assessments of significantly poorer health. Poorer health assessments are associated with significantly greater medical resource use. However, direct estimates of the effects of passive smoking on health care use indicate no statistical association whatsoever. These results are consistent with a model whereby individuals systematically overestimate the effects of passive smoking on their health and where the short-term effects of passive smoking on adult health care costs are negligible.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1007867508913
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