Consumers’ Attitudes Toward Medical Tourism

44 Pages Posted: 12 May 2011

See all articles by Lydia L. Gan

Lydia L. Gan

University of North Carolina at Pembroke; Medical Tourism Research Center

James R. Frederick

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Pembroke - Medical Tourism Research Center

Date Written: May 9, 2011

Abstract

This paper identified demographic groups who are likely to participate in medical tourism and further identified three components (economic, treatment-related, travel-related) that explain their motivation to travel for treatment. We hypothesized that differences in consumer characteristics and their motivating factors would influence the consumer's attitudes toward medical tourism. We found that insurance, income, and age influence consumers' economic motivation to use medical tourism, as reflected in their attitudes toward economic incentives such as copayments and cash bonuses. Location and education influenced the travel-related motivation, as reflected in consumers' attitudes toward political stability, legal systems, infrastructure, and vacationing. The treatment-related motivation, as measured by attitudes toward quality of care, post-operative care, confidentiality, and hospital reputation, depended on a consumer's health status. This study can help medical tourism agents to refine their marketing strategies and the employers and insurance companies to better design appropriate economic incentives to encourage participation in medical tourism

Keywords: Medical tourism, medical travel, motivations, demographics, uninsured

JEL Classification: I11, J14, C38

Suggested Citation

Gan, Lydia L. and Gan, Lydia L. and Frederick, James R., Consumers’ Attitudes Toward Medical Tourism (May 9, 2011). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1837062 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1837062

Lydia L. Gan (Contact Author)

University of North Carolina at Pembroke ( email )

P.O. Box 1510
Pembroke, NC 28372-1510
United States
9107754265 (Phone)
9105216750 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.uncp.edu/business/

Medical Tourism Research Center ( email )

P O Box 1510
One University Drive
Pembroke, NC 28372
United States
910-521-6592 (Phone)
910-521-6750 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.uncp.edu/mtrc/

James R. Frederick

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Pembroke - Medical Tourism Research Center ( email )

P O Box 1510
One University Drive
Pembroke, NC 28372
United States