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Family history of chronic disease and participation in healthy behaviours

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2007

GODFREY A. GIBBISON  and
C. DOUGLAS JOHNSON
GODFREY A. GIBBISON*
Affiliation:
School of Economic Development, Georgia Southern University, USA
C. DOUGLAS JOHNSON
Affiliation:
College of Business, Georgia Gwinnett College, USA
*
*Correspondence to: Godfrey A. Gibbison. School of Economic Development, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8152, Statesboro, GA 30460, USA. Email: ggibbiso@georgiasouthern.edu
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Abstract:

This article presents an investigation into whether individuals incorporate information on their family genetic (health) endowment into decision making regarding participation in behaviours related to the production of health capital. Competing theoretical perspectives exist as to how genetic endowment should affect participation in health-related behaviours. There is also a growing consensus that the availability of genetic information holds important consequences for the individual in terms of investment in human capital, the pricing and availability of health insurance, and labour market opportunity. Therefore, the question of how individuals use the greater availability of genetic data is important. Our empirical results indicate that poor genetic endowment tends to be associated with a lower probability of participation in cigarette smoking, but also a lower probability of participation in regular exercise.

Type
Articles
Information
Health Economics, Policy and Law , Volume 2 , Issue 3 , July 2007 , pp. 297 - 315
Copyright
Cambridge University Press

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