title: Gender differences in risk attitudes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A rich literature has documented gender-based differences in health care utilization and outcomes. The role of risk attitude in explaining the variations is limited at best. This study examines gender differences in health utilities and risk attitudes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on 13 health states were collected from 629 students via questionnaires at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in 2005. From each respondent, we assessed utilities for a subset of health states, using Time Trade-Off and Standard Gamble. A risk attitude coefficient was calculated for each respondent as a function of their utilities for all outcomes assessed. The risk coefficient derived from a closed-form utility model for men was compared to that of women using the t-statistic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant difference in the risk attitudes of men and women. Men had a concave utility function, representing risk aversion, while women had a near linear utility function, suggesting that women are risk neutral. PRACTICAL/SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Differences in risk attitude may be an important contributor to gender-based disparities in health services utilization. More research is needed to assess its full impact on decision-making in health care.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Warshawsky-Livne
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Novack
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Downs
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shkolnik-Inbar
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Pliskin
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult