The Information Effect of Medical Examination on Individual Health Promotion Behaviors: Evidence from Korea

This paper demonstrates empirically that individuals who monitor indicators of their current cardiovascular health status by undergoing medical examinations are more likely to invest in their own health than those who do not observe such monitoring protocols. Using data from the 2001 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of Korea in a structural econometric model, this paper attempts to control the endogeneity problem inherent to the individual decision as to whether to undergo medical examinations, and provides estimation results showing that increased individual health awareness via medical examinations exerts a statistically significant positive effect on health investments. From the policy perspective, the estimation results of this paper may provide a rationale supporting the health policy of free provision of health examination services to the insured via National Health Insurance.