title: Sickness and preventive medical behavior.
abstract: Using data from two sources, the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), I analyze the relationship between health status and the likelihood of engaging in medical screening and other preventive behavior. The results show that individuals who are in poorer health are more likely to get flu shots and cholesterol checks, but less likely to have mammograms, pap smears, breast examinations and prostate checks. There is some evidence that suggests that psychological factors such as fear and anxiety may be important reasons why sicker people are less likely to get cancer screens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323, USA. swu@hamilton.edu
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety; D016504:Breast Self-Examination / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011322:Primary Prevention; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D012179:Retirement; D012307:Risk Factors; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D002784:Cholesterol