While many risks, especially new ones, are not objectively quantifiable, individuals still form perceptions of risks using incomplete or unclear evidence about the true nature of those risks. In the case of well known risks, such as smoking, individuals perceive risks to be smaller for...

The threat of a widespread avian flu influenza outbreak represented a significant public health challenge for the European region during late 2005 and early 2006. Little is known, however, about how individuals learn about new global-level health risks, especially influenza outbreaks. We...

The proliferation of new information and communication technologies such as the Internet has arguably changed the way individuals update the information they use to prevent illness and monitor their health. Compared with other information sources, Internet use reduces information access costs...

Moderating binge drinking among young people remains a major health policy focus of European Union (EU) member states. Risk perceptions toward alcohol are an important predictor of consumption behavior. We analyze how alcohol policies and various sources providing information about alcohol's...

The sluggish development of European generic drug markets depends heavily on demand side factors, and more specifically, patients’ and doctors’ loyalty to branded products. Loyalty to originator drugs, to the point where originator prices rise upon generic entry has been described as the...

Purpose – To examine the determinants of smoking cessation and tobacco consumption in the European Union (EU) countries. Specifically, the paper seeks to examine the role of smoking risk perceptions and anti-smoking regulation. Design/methodology/approach – The paper utilizes multivariate...

The influence of private health insurance (PHI) and gynaecologists' demand for leisure in determining a caesarean section (CS) delivery is examined. A database collected in January 2002 is exploited which contains records on women who attended the second largest private hospital in Greece. A...

We argue that the dread of Genetically Modified (GM) food is an expression of the individual's demand for information as a self-protective action. This study empirically examines the determinants of the demand for information on Genetically Modified Food and tests whether this demand is jointly...

Transferring knowledge on new biotechnology applications in the European Union is restricted by limited public support. Explanations for this limited support lead us to examine the influence of knowledge and beliefs in shifting attitudes towards the uncertain consequences of unknown...