Are mature smokers misinformed?

TitleAre mature smokers misinformed?
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2009
AuthorsKhwaja, A, Silverman, DS, Sloan, FA, Wang, Y
JournalJ Health Econ
Volume28
Issue2
Pagination385-97
Date Published2009 Mar
ISSN Number0167-6296
Call Numbernewpubs20090908/Khwajaetal.pdf
KeywordsAged, Deception, Female, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Risk Assessment, Smoking, United States
Abstract

While there are many reasons to continue to smoke in spite of its consequences for health, the concern that many smoke because they misperceive the risks of smoking remains a focus of public discussion and motivates tobacco control policies and litigation. In this paper we investigate the relative accuracy of mature smokers' risk perceptions about future survival, and a range of morbidities and disabilities. Using data from the survey on smoking (SOS) conducted for this research, we compare subjective beliefs elicited from the SOS with corresponding individual-specific objective probabilities estimated from the health and retirement study. Overall, consumers in the age group studied, 50-70, are not overly optimistic in their perceptions of health risk. If anything, smokers tend to be relatively pessimistic about these risks. The finding that smokers are either well informed or pessimistic regarding a broad range of health risks suggests that these beliefs are not pivotal in the decision to continue smoking. Although statements by the tobacco companies may have been misleading and thus encouraged some to start smoking, we find no evidence that systematic misinformation about the health consequences of smoking inhibits quitting.

DOI10.1016/j.jhealeco.2008.12.004
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19178971?dopt=Abstract

Endnote Keywords

Subjective Probabilities/Mortality/Health/Smoking

Endnote ID

20360

Alternate JournalJ Health Econ
Citation Key7332
PubMed ID19178971