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PubMed1999

Theories for practitioners: two frameworks for studying consumer health information-seeking behavior.

Consumer health information studies in library and information science (LIS) are typically not grounded within a theoretical framework. This article explains the importance of theory to LIS research in general, and the specific value of using theories from other disciplines to study consumers' health information-seeking behavior. The argument is supported with two examples: Miller's psychological theory of blunting and monitoring behavior and Granovetter's sociological theory of the strength of weak ties. These theories can be applied by practitioner-researchers to investigate a variety of research problems.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2003

Do consumers' attitudes predict prescription purchasing behavior?

Consumers may face prescription choices in three-tier plans, primarily between lower-cost generic drugs, formulary (tier 2) brands, and higher-cost nonformulary (tier 3) brands. To determine if consumers' beliefs about medications influence their prescription choices, a preliminary evaluation of the effect of such beliefs on prescription purchasing behavior was conducted in an MCO population. Attitudes about prescription drug coverage and perceptions regarding medications had no demonstrated effect on formulary compliance or rates of discontinuation of nonformulary medications. The findings appear to support the concept of three-tier plans, and increasing copayments seems to facilitate greater adherence to health plan formularies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

The construction of mental accounts in benefits decision making.

Mental accounting describes the psychological creation of separate accounts or budgets for categories of decisions. This process simplifies complex budget decisions in ways that significantly affect consumer behavior (Kahneman and Tversky 1981, 1984) and has been incorporated into economic theory (Shefrin and Thaler 1988). The impact of mental accounts on benefits decisions is likely to be significant. The creation of these accounts is context dependent, and prior work has demonstrated that the source and timing of payments affects the allocation of resources into mental accounts. Results from this work demonstrate that other normatively unimportant factors of the choice such as presentation order impact the construction of mental accounts. These results describe mental accounting biases within the context of health care benefits and demonstrate that the construction of mental accounts is highly unstable and easily manipulated within this domain.

Chi-Square Distribution↗
PubMed1998

Direct-to-consumer ads can influence behavior. Advertising increases consumer knowledge and prescription drug requests.

This study examines the impact of direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical advertising on prescription drug knowledge and the requesting behavior of consumers. The authors developed and tested a conceptual model of prescription drug knowledge and requests. Consumers' belief that drug advertising can educate them was associated with a greater amount of drug knowledge, and the belief they would upset physicians by asking for specific drugs was associated with less knowledge. The belief that drug advertising reduces prices was associated with greater probability of drug requests, and the belief that physicians should be the sole source of drug information was associated with lesser probability of request. Preference for generic drugs was associated with a lesser likelihood of requesting a specific drug. Media exposure and drug advertising awareness were associated with higher drug knowledge and a greater probability of drug requesting.

Advertising↗
PubMed2006

The effect of the Holling type II functional response on apparent competition.

This article analyzes the classical 2-resource-1-consumer apparent competition community module with the Holling type II functional response. Two types of resource regulation (top-down vs. combined top-down and bottom-up) and two types of consumer behaviors (inflexible consumers with fixed preferences for resources vs. adaptive consumers) are considered. When resources grow exponentially and consumers are inflexible foragers, one resource is always outcompeted due to strong apparent competition. Density dependent resource growth relaxes apparent competition so that resources can coexist. As multiple attractors (either equilibria or limit cycles) coexist, population dynamics and community composition depend on initial population densities. Population dynamics change dramatically when consumers forage adaptively. In this case, the results both for top-down, and combined top-down and bottom-up regulation are similar and they show that species persistence occurs for a much larger set of parameter values when compared with inflexible consumers. Moreover, population dynamics will be chaotic when resource carrying capacities are high enough. This shows that adaptive consumer switching can destabilize population dynamics.

Biological Evolution↗
PubMed2004

A structured review of the effect of economic incentives on consumers' preventive behavior.

Improving participation in preventive activities will require finding methods to encourage consumers to engage in and remain in such efforts. This review assesses the effects of economic incentives on consumers' preventive health behaviors. A study was classified as complex preventive health if a sustained behavior change was required of the consumer; if it could be accomplished directly (e.g., immunizations), it was considered simple. A systematic literature review identified 111 randomized controlled trials of which 47 (published between 1966 and 2002) met the criteria for review. The economic incentives worked 73% of the time (74% for simple, and 72% for complex). Rates varied by the goal of the incentive. Incentives that increased ability to purchase the preventive service worked better than more diffuse incentives, but the type matters less than the nature of the incentive. Economic incentives are effective in the short run for simple preventive care, and distinct, well-defined behavioral goals. Small incentives can produce finite changes, but it is not clear what size of incentive is needed to yield a major sustained effect.

Community Participation↗
PubMed2003

An investigation of factors that influence the consumption of dietary supplements.

This study finds that consumers take dietary supplements to improve their physical health and gain peace of mind. Several factors influence the consumption of dietary supplements, but the advice of a physician underlies most consumer behavior. Few dietary supplement users over-consume these types of products, but those who do could be partaking in potentially dangerous consumption practices. More importantly, those who consume multivitamins, concentrates, and herbs/flowers/ roots express different consumer behaviors from those who only take multivitamins and concentrates. Conclusions are drawn in light of the media's impact on the behaviors of dietary supplement consumers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Consumerism in health care. Prevalence and predictors.

Current efforts to contain health care costs include a variety of strategies aimed at the users of health services. These approaches attempt to encourage users to be more cost-conscious and to shop for lower-cost services and more efficient health care plans. The primary method for achieving this is by increasing the consumer's exposure to the cost of health insurance and the cost of care. The assumption is that approaches that increase cost-sensitivity will stimulate greater consumerism among the users of care. This paper presents findings from a study that investigates the extent to which members of insured populations have a consumer approach to health care, identifies factors related to consumer behaviors and attributes, and examines the degree to which consumer cost-sensitivity is associated with other consumer-oriented behaviors. The data used are derived from face-to-face interviews. Only a minority of the respondents engage in the examined consumer behaviors. Both social demographic and attitudinal factors affect the likelihood of engaging in consumer behaviors. Being cost-sensitive appears to be only a minor stimulant to other consumer attributes. Policy implications are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Assertiveness and aggressiveness as potential moderators of consumers' verbal behavior following a failure of service.

49 men and 37 women participated in a study of the relationships among assertiveness, aggressiveness, and verbal intentions. Findings suggest that as a person's social network extends out from family to others. Nonassertive and Aggressive persons are less likely to discuss a problem with service and their response. However, more assertive consumers are significantly more likely to discuss these same circumstances with acquaintances and others. The nature of intended verbal communications was positive for Assertive relative to Nonassertive consumers. Sex of the subject did not appear to be of importance.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Habitual and value-guided purchase behavior.

Society increasingly requests that individuals adopt environmentally benign behavior. Information campaigns purported to change people's attitudes are often regarded as prerequisites to installing such changes. While such information may be a necessary step, it is not sufficient by itself. We argue that many everyday behaviors with environmental consequences are habitual, and that little attention is given to information directed toward changing these habitual behaviors. In other instances, behavior is guided by values in a more reflective process. However, other information besides environmental consequences may draw a person's attention and affect behavioral choice. Using surveys and experimental studies targeting consumer behavior, we studied under what conditions different kinds of information is likely to influence people with varying levels of environmental concern. Based on results from these studies, implications for behavioral change are discussed.

Choice Behavior↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dialogue: should any willing provider laws become a mandate for behavioral healthcare? Consumer and payors require customization and choice of network products.

To reiterate, if managed behavioral health plans or delivery systems wish to offer products that include AWP, they should be able to do so. This is typical of indemnity and POS products. Conversely, if they wish to offer products with selective networks, they should be able to exercise this option also. If the principle of market choice in selection of a product can be allowed to operate, it will tell us what products are valued. The available evidence so far indicates that consumers (patients) are as satisfied or more satisfied with their treatment when it is delivered in a selective network (e.g., HMO) as when they are in an AWP network (e.g., fee for service). There is a great deal of change (and opportunity) for providers in managed behavioral healthcare today, not unlike transitions in other professions which have undergone significant changes (e.g., manufacturing, crafts, farming). The stresses that are creating greater efficiency, accountability and innovation in mental health and substance abuse service delivery are also causing provider anxiety and altered practice styles and lifestyles. While managed behavioral health plans and delivery systems need to be sensitive to these stresses within the provider community, it is not the responsibility of any organization to assure a group of workers that they will always be paid for doing what they did in the past, in the way they did it in the past. Given the pace of our growing knowledge about behavioral healthcare, that would be an irresponsible objective.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Community Participation↗
PubMed1999

Development of a consumer survey for behavioral health services.

A consumer survey was designed to assess the quality of mental health and substance abuse services and evaluate insurance plans that provide such services. This paper describes the development of the Consumer Assessment of Behavioral Health Services instrument, which began with a review of existing consumer satisfaction surveys and input from several groups working toward development of nationally standardized satisfaction instruments. Consumer focus groups were used to ensure that all the important domains of quality were included, and group members were interviewed to ensure that all items on the instrument were understandable. Results of a pilot test conducted with 160 consumers, 82 enrolled in Medicaid plans and 78 in commercial plans, suggested that the survey was able to distinguish between the two groups in terms of evaluations of their care and insurance plans. Future efforts will focus on further testing of larger, more diverse samples and on developing scoring and reporting formats for the survey that will be useful to consumers and purchasers in choosing behavioral health services and plans.

Consumer Behavior↗
PubMed2005

A behavioral window on the mind of the market: an application of the response time paradigm.

This article focuses on the role of implicit knowledge consumers have about particular brands, products or names. The major findings of several studies, conducted at the Mind of the Market Laboratory at Harvard Business School, are presented with specific emphasis on studies in which response time measurements were the core method. The results revealed that implicit measures provide a rich understanding of the meaning conveyed by a product or brand. Moreover, there is also considerable evidence that implicit measures may be better than traditional explicit measures as predictors of consumer behavior. We discuss the implications for the study of consumer behavior and the importance of combining several methods including neuroimaging, which has received recent attention by marketers, economists and social scientists.

Behavior↗