Health anxiety and patient behavior

J Health Econ. 2003 Nov;22(6):1073-84. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2003.06.002.

Abstract

Economic models of patient decision-making emphasize the costs of getting medical attention and the improved physical health that results from it. This note builds a model of patient decision-making when fears or anxiety about the future-captured as beliefs about next period's state of health-also enter the patient's utility function. Anxiety can lead the patient to avoid doctor's visits or other easily available information about her health. However, this avoidance cannot take any form: she will never avoid the doctor with small problems, and under regularity conditions she will never go to a bad doctor to limit the information received.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anxiety*
  • Attitude to Health
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Decision Making*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Models, Econometric
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / psychology*
  • Probability
  • Psychometrics
  • Truth Disclosure*