National Intelligence and Private Health Expenditure: Do High IQ Societies Spend More on Health Insurance?

Burhan, Nik Ahmad Sufian and Salleh, Fauzilah and Burhan, Nik Mohd Ghazi (2015): National Intelligence and Private Health Expenditure: Do High IQ Societies Spend More on Health Insurance? Published in: Intelligence , Vol. 52, (September 2015): pp. 1-8.

Abstract

Studies show that high IQ people practice healthier lifestyles, which result in better health status. However, do such people spend more on healthcare? We employed hierarchical multiple regression analysis to examine the impact of national average IQ on private health expenditure, especially health insurance at cross-country level. Controlling for income, the old-age dependency ratio, and government expenditure on health, we found that IQ was positively significant on out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure but negatively associated with private health insurance expenditure. We suggest that high IQ societies pay less for health insurance because they are more capable of preventing illnesses or injuries and they live in healthier and safer environments, which are less vulnerable to diseases. In addition, they are more efficient at calculating risk and making choices according to their future healthcare needs. Hence, with price dispersion and various choices of premium schemes available within the health insurance industry, high IQ people may be more efficient at obtaining lower effective prices of premiums.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: health insurance; income; intelligence; national IQ; private health expenditure; public health
• Subjects: H - Public Economics > H5 - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies > H51 - Government Expenditures and Health; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I13 - Health Insurance, Public and Private; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I2 - Education and Research Institutions > I25 - Education and Economic Development; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J2 - Demand and Supply of Labor > J24 - Human Capital ; Skills ; Occupational Choice ; Labor Productivity

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