Time Preference and Health: An Exploratory Study
42 Pages Posted: 2 Mar 2002 Last revised: 7 Feb 2011
Date Written: August 1980
Abstract
This paper reports the results of an exploratory survey designed to measure differences in time preference across individuals and to test for relationships between time preference and schooling, health behaviors, and health status. Approximately 500 adults age 25-64 were surveyed by telephone. Time preference was measured by a series of six questions asking the respondent to choose between a sum of money now and a larger sum at a specific point in the future. Approximately two-thirds gave consistent replies to the six questions. The implicit interest rate revealed in their replies is weakly correlated with years of schooling (negative), cigarette smoking (positive), and health status(negative). Family background, especially religion, appears to be an important determinant of time preference.
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Register to save articles to
your library
Recommended Papers
-
Economic Status and Health in Childhood: The Origins of the Gradient
By Anne Case, Darren H. Lubotsky, ...
-
Economic Status and Health in Childhood: The Origins of the Gradient
By Anne Case, Darren H. Lubotsky, ...
-
Health Insurance Eligibility, Utilization of Medical Care, and Child Health
By Janet Currie and Jonathan Gruber
-
Is the Impact of Health Shocks Cushioned by Socioeconomic Status? the Case of Low Birthweight
By Janet Currie and Rosemary Hyson
-
Mortality, Education, Income, and Inequality Among American Cohorts
By Angus Deaton and Christina H. Paxson
-
Health, Inequality, and Economic Development
By Angus Deaton
-
From Cradle to Grave? The Lasting Impact of Childhood Health and Circumstance
By Anne Case, Angela R. Fertig, ...
-
Socioeconomic Status and Health: Why is the Relationship Stronger for Older Children?
By Janet Currie and Mark Stabile
-
What Do Self-Reported, Objective, Measures of Health Measure?
By Michael Baker, Mark Stabile, ...
-
Why is Health Related to Socioeconomic Status?
By Ellen Meara
