Subjective Health Expectations

Kim Huynh and Juergen Jung

No 2010-08, Working Papers from Towson University, Department of Economics

Abstract: Subjective health expectations are derived using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We first use a Bayesian updating mechanism to correct for focal point responses and reporting errors of the original health expectations variable. We then test the quality of the health expectations measure and describe its correlation with various health indicators and other individual characteristics. Our results indicate that subjective health expectations do contain additional information that is not incorporated in subjective mortality expectations and that the rational expectations assumption cannot be rejected for subjective health expectations. Finally, the data suggest that individuals younger than 70 years of age seem to be more pessimistic about their health than individuals in their 70's.

Keywords: Subjective Health Expectations; Rational Health Expectations; Work Limiting Health Problems; Bayesian Updating of Expectations. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C11 C23 D84 I10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 26 pages
Date: 2010-03, Revised 2014-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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http://webapps.towson.edu/cbe/economics/workingpapers/2010-08.pdf First version, 2009 (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Subjective health expectations (2015)
Working Paper: Subjective Health Expectations (2008)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:tow:wpaper:2010-08

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