Working Paper: NBER ID: w11770
Authors: Toshiaki Iizuka; Ginger Zhe Jin
Abstract: We examine the effect of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of drug treatment on an important health habit, physical exercise. By learning the existence of a new drug treatment via DTCA, rational consumers may become careless about maintaining healthy lifestyles. Using the National Health Insurance Survey (NHIS) and MSA-level DTCA data, we find that the DTCA related to four chronic conditions -- diabetes, high cholesterol, over weight, and hypertension -- reduce the likelihood of engaging in moderate exercise. This suggests the possibility that DTCA does not only affect pharmaceutical demand in the short-run, but also have long-run impacts on people's health by affecting their daily routines.
Keywords: No keywords provided
JEL Codes: I12; I18; D83
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| DTCA (Y10) | decrease in moderate exercise participation (I12) |
| DTCA for cholesterol-reducing drugs (Y10) | decrease in moderate exercise participation (I12) |
| DTCA for diabetes drugs (C22) | decrease in moderate exercise participation (I12) |
| DTCA (Y10) | unhealthy habits (I12) |