The Effects of Daughters on Health Choices and Risk Behaviour

Nattavudh Powdthavee, Stephen Wu and Andrew Oswald

Discussion Papers from Department of Economics, University of York

Abstract: Little is known about why some human beings make risky life-choices. This paper provides evidence that people's health decisions and addictive actions are influenced by the gender of their children. Having a daughter leads individuals -- in micro data from Great Britain and the United States -- to reduce their smoking, drinking, and drug-taking. The paper's results are consistent with the hypothesis that human beings 'self-medicate' when under stress.

Keywords: Addictive behaviour; gender; daughters; smoking; drinking; attitudes. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D1 I1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe, nep-hea, nep-ltv and nep-neu
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:yor:yorken:10/03

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