TY - JOUR

T1 - Spillover effects of drug safety warnings on preventive health care use

AU - Meltem Daysal, N.

AU - Orsini, Chiara

PY - 2015/1/1

Y1 - 2015/1/1

N2 - We examine how new medical information on drug safety impacts preventive health care use. We exploit the release of the findings of the Women's Health Initiative Study (WHIS)-the largest randomized controlled trial of women's health-which demonstrated in 2002 the health risks associated with the long-term use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). We first show that, after the release of the WHIS findings, HRT use dropped sharply among post-menopausal women. We then estimate the spillover effects of the WHIS findings on preventive care by means of a difference-in-differences methodology comparing changes in preventive care use among 60 to 69 year-old women (who have high rates of HRT use) with the change among women aged 75 and above (who have much lower rates of HRT use). Using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for the period 1998-2007, we find that women aged 60-69 had statistically and economically significant declines in their annual mammography checks, checkups, cholesterol checks and blood stool tests, when compared to older women.

AB - We examine how new medical information on drug safety impacts preventive health care use. We exploit the release of the findings of the Women's Health Initiative Study (WHIS)-the largest randomized controlled trial of women's health-which demonstrated in 2002 the health risks associated with the long-term use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). We first show that, after the release of the WHIS findings, HRT use dropped sharply among post-menopausal women. We then estimate the spillover effects of the WHIS findings on preventive care by means of a difference-in-differences methodology comparing changes in preventive care use among 60 to 69 year-old women (who have high rates of HRT use) with the change among women aged 75 and above (who have much lower rates of HRT use). Using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for the period 1998-2007, we find that women aged 60-69 had statistically and economically significant declines in their annual mammography checks, checkups, cholesterol checks and blood stool tests, when compared to older women.

KW - health production

KW - preventive behavior

KW - spillovers

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84919664139&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1515/bejeap-2013-0038

DO - 10.1515/bejeap-2013-0038

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:84919664139

VL - 15

SP - 179

EP - 208

JO - B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy

JF - B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy

SN - 1538-0653

IS - 1

ER -