"More encouragement should be given to patients, particularly those in poor health, to get cancer screenings when visiting the doctor," says Hamilton College economics professor Stephen Wu. Why? "There is a significant amount of anxiety associated with cancer screens, especially among the sick, something which is not present for more routine procedures such as flu shots and cholesterol checks."
In his paper, "Sickness and Preventative Medical Behavior," published in the July issue of the Journal of Health Economics, Wu analyzes the relationship between health status and the likelihood of engaging in medical screening and other preventive behavior. "Individuals who are generally in poorer health are more likely to get flu shots and cholesterol checks, but less likely to have mammograms, pap smears, breast exams and prostate checks," Wu continues. "These results have definite implications for health policy as well as health care costs."
Previous research has shown that certain initiatives can make a difference. For instance, invitation appointments, letters and telephone calls are effective at increasing screenings. Proactive efforts such as these may prove useful in reducing the anxiety associated with screenings. In his research Wu used data from two sources, the Health and Retirement Study conducted by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey conducted by the Agency for Health Research and Quality.
Wu received his Ph.D. and master's degree from Princeton University and his bachelor's degree from Brown University. His research focuses on health economics and the economics of aging. He is currently doing research on the relationships between health status, wealth accumulation and portfolio decisions, as well as the decision to purchase private health insurance.
