Drivers of smoking and physical activity in Russia: Do individual time preferences matter?

Tatiana V. Kossova (), Elena V. Kossova () and Maria A. Sheluntcova ()
Additional contact information
Tatiana V. Kossova: HSE University, Moscow, Russia
Elena V. Kossova: HSE University, Moscow, Russia
Maria A. Sheluntcova: HSE University, Moscow, Russia

Russian Journal of Economics, 2022, vol. 8, issue 4, 381-390

Abstract: This article analyzes the relationship between individual decisions to smoke and to do physical exercises. It is assumed that individual time preferences play a major role in explaining individual health behavior. The database is the special survey of Russians' lifestyle conducted in 2017. A multivariate probit model with endogenous binary variable enables to analyze the relationship between smoking, doing physical exercises, and individual time preferences. Individual time preferences are determined through a hypo­thetical money experiment. An individual discount rate is used as a proxy for the rate of time preferences. We reveal that there is a negative relationship between smoking and doing physical exercises because of unobservable factors. It might be an individual inclination to follow a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle. There is a negative influence of the higher individual discount rate on doing physical exercises and a positive in­fluence of the higher individual discount rate on smoking. Social policy should accentuate the short-term benefits from smoking cessation and regular physical exercises rather than probable future health improvements. For target groups with the higher individual discount rate, highlighting the short-term negative consequences of avoiding healthy behaviors will be more effective than drawing attention to future health risks.

Keywords: smoking; physical; exercise; individual; discount; rate; multivariate; probit; Russia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://rujec.org/article/81343/

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:arh:jrujec:v:8:y:2022:i:4:p:381-390

DOI: 10.32609/j.ruje.8.81343

Access Statistics for this article

Russian Journal of Economics is currently edited by Alexey Kudrin

More articles in Russian Journal of Economics from ARPHA Platform
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Teodor Georgiev ().