Role of information in consumer selection of health plans.
Considerable efforts are underway in the public and private sectors to increase the amount of information available to consumers when making health plan choices. The objective of this study was to examine the role of information in consumer health plan decisionmaking. A computer system was developed which provides different plan descriptions with the option of accessing varying types and levels of information. The system tracked the information search processes and recorded the hypothetical plan choices of 202 subjects. Results are reported showing the relationship between information and problem perception, preference structure, choice of plan, and attitude towards the decision.
Sainfort
F
F
Center for Health Systems Research and Analysis, University of Wisconsin-Madison 53705, USA. sainfort@engr.wisc.edu
Booske
B C
BC
D001294:Attitude to Health; D003256:Community Participation; D016536:Competitive Medical Plans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States