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dc.titleDo Behavioral Drivers Matter for Healthcare Decision-making in Times of Crisis?: A study of Low-Income Women in El Salvador During the COVID-19 Pandemic
dc.contributor.authorBernal, Pedro
dc.contributor.authorDaga, Giuliana
dc.contributor.authorKossuth, Lajos
dc.contributor.authorLopez Boo, Florencia
dc.contributor.orgunitSocial Protection and Health Division
dc.coverageEl Salvador
dc.date.available2023-08-29T16:08:00
dc.date.issue2023-08-29T00:08:00
dc.description.abstractUnderstanding health-seeking behaviors and their drivers is key for governments to manage health policies. There is a growing literature on the role of cognitive biases and heuristics in health and care-seeking behaviors, but little is known of how they might be influenced during a context of heightened anxiety and uncertainty. This study analyzes the relationship between four behavioral predictors the internal locus of control, impatience, optimism bias, and aspirations and healthcare decisions among low-income women in El Salvador. We find positive associations between internal locus of control and preventive health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic (use of masks, distance, hand washing, and COVID-19 vaccination) and in general (prenatal checkups, iron-rich diets for children and hypertension tests). Measures of impatience negatively correlate with COVID-19 prevention behaviors and mothers micronutrient treatment adherence for children, and optimism bias and educational aspirations with healthcare-seeking behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some associations were more robust during the pandemic, suggesting that feelings of uncertainty and stress could enhance behavioral drivers influence on health-related behaviors, a novel and relevant finding in the literature relevant for the design of policy responses for future shocks.
dc.format.extent28
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0005094
dc.identifier.urlhttps://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/Do-Behavioral-Drivers-Matter-for-Healthcare-Decision-making-in-Times-of-Crisis-A-study-of-Low-Income-Women-in-El-Salvador-During-the-COVID-19-Pandemic.pdf
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherInter-American Development Bank
dc.subjectHealth Behavior
dc.subjectChildren
dc.subjectWomen
dc.subjectHealth Care
dc.subjectCoronavirus
dc.subjectHealth
dc.subjectPandemics
dc.subjectHealth Services
dc.subjectIncome Distribution
dc.subject.jelcodeI12 - Health Behavior
dc.subject.jelcodeD10 - Household Behavior and Family Economics: General
dc.subject.jelcodeD91 - Intertemporal Household Choice • Life Cycle Models and Saving
dc.subject.jelcodeI30 - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: General
dc.subject.keywordshealthcare decision-making;behavioral economics;COVID-19;low-income setting;Latin America;El Salvador
dc.typeWorking Papers
idb.identifier.pubnumberIDB-WP-01513
idb.operationRG-E1814
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