Should I pay for your risky behaviours? Evidence from London

Marisa Miraldo, Matteo M. Galizzi, Anna Merla, Rosella Levaggi, Peter J. Schulz, Francesco Auxilia, Silvana Castaldi, Umberto Gelatti

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

We investigate the extent to which respondents from a general population sample in London (July-August 2011) agree or disagree with the NHS covering the healthcare costs related to five risky health behaviours: overeating, unhealthy diet, sedentary life, excess of alcohol, and smoking. For each behaviour, we also directly explore the main factors associated with the likelihood to agree or disagree. Half of the respondents (N=146) manifest agreement with the idea. Wider agreement exists for covering the costs associated smoking, heavy drinking, and sedentary lives than with overeating, or poor diets. With the exception of alcohol drinking and sedentary life, there is an almost one-to-one relationship between the agreement that the NHS should pay the healthcare costs associated with a specific behaviour, and the respondents' actual engagement in that behaviour. Those at higher risk of depending on publicly funded healthcare, are more likely to agree.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)145-158
Number of pages14
JournalPreventive Medicine
Volume66
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2014

Keywords

  • Health responsibility
  • Lifestyle rationing
  • Risky behaviour

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