Health information and health behaviours: Does new information on hypertension status matter?

Abstract

Does the receipt of (negative) health information affect one’s subsequent health behaviours? Using data from clinical health assessments carried out as part of a nationally representative longitudinal study on ageing, a regression discontinuity design is used to identify the effect of health information (i.e., information about hypertension status) on subsequent health behaviours among the older population in Ireland. The results show that while there is no significant impact of new information about hypertension status on smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity and diet two years later, a significant impact on body mass index (BMI) is identified. New information on hypertension status leads to a 0.7 decrease in BMI and a 7 percentage points decrease in the probability of being overweight or obese. The impact is mainly driven by individuals with higher levels of conscientiousness and without free access to primary health care services. Moreover, compared to females, males are more responsive to their own health information and to a lesser extent, to their spouses’ health information. The findings provide important insights for policymakers tasked with designing public health interventions to enhance diagnosis and management of chronic diseases and promote population health.