Intergenerational transmission of non-communicable chronic diseases

Catarina Goulão () and Agustín Pérez-Barahona

No 11-219, TSE Working Papers from Toulouse School of Economics (TSE)

Abstract: We introduce a theoretical framework that contributes to the understanding of the non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs) epidemics: even if NCDs are not "biologically" communicable, they may spread due to the transmission of unhealthy activities such as unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and smoking. In particular, we study the intergenerational dimension of this mechanism. We found that, due to the "social" transmission of NCDs, agents choose lower health conditions and higher unhealthy activities than what is socially optimal. Taxes on unhealthy activities, that may subsidize health investments, can be used to restore the social optimum. Finally, we also observe that our model is consistent with the existence of regional asymmetries regarding the prevalence of obesity and NCDs.

Keywords: Health capital; Chronic diseases and obesity; Social transmission (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H21 H23 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Intergenerational transmission of non-communicable chronic diseases (2012)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:tse:wpaper:24012

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