PERCEPTIONS OF HEALTH RISK AND SMOKING DECISIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE

    Authors

    S. Gerking;R. Khaddaria

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Health Econ.

    Keywords

    cigarette smoking; perceived risk of lung cancer mortality; difficulty; in quitting smoking; immediacy of health effects; YOUTH SMOKING; RATIONAL ADDICTION; BEHAVIOR; EXPECTATIONS; BELIEFS; CHOICE; REDUCE; TAXES; Economics; Health Care Sciences & Services; Health Policy & Services

    Abstract

    Using the Annenberg Perception of Tobacco Risk Survey 2, this paper finds that perceived risk deters smoking among persons aged 14-22?years who think that it is relatively difficult to quit smoking and that onset of deleterious health effects occurs relatively quickly. Perceived health risk, however, does not affect the smoking status of young people who hold the opposite beliefs. These results are consistent with predictions of rational addiction models and suggest that young people, who view smoking as more addictive and health effects as more immediate, may have greater incentive to consider long-term health effects in their decision to smoke. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

    Journal Title

    Health Economics

    Volume

    21

    Issue/Number

    7

    Publication Date

    1-1-2012

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    865

    Last Page

    877

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000304819700008

    ISSN

    1057-9230

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