Health risk perception and betel chewing behavior — The evidence from Taiwan

• Published in: Addictive behaviors Vol. 38; no. 11; pp. 2714 - 2717
• Main Authors: Chen, Chiang-Ming, Chang, Kuo-Liang, Lin, Lin, Lee, Jwo-Leun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2013; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Areca - adverse effects; Bayesian analysis; Bayesian learning process; Betel chewing; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Male; Mastication; Perception; Perceptions; Psychiatry; Risk; Risk Assessment; Risk perception; Risk Reduction Behavior; Studies; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Taiwan; Tobacco; Taiwan; Bayesian learning process; Risk perception; Betel chewing
• ISSN: 0306-4603; 1873-6327
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.07.001

Abstract In this study, we provided an empirical examination of the interaction between people's health risk perception and betel chewing. We hypothesized that a better knowledge of possible health risks would reduce both the number of individuals who currently chew betel and the likelihood of those who do not yet chew betel to begin the habit. We constructed a simultaneous equation model with Bayesian two-stage approach to control the endogeneity between betel chewing and risk perception. Using a national survey of 26,684 observations in Taiwan, our study results indicated that better health knowledge reduced the possibility that people would become betel chewers. We also found that, in general, betel chewers have a poorer health risk perception than other population. Overall, the empirical evidence suggested that health authorities could reduce the odds of people becoming betel chewers by improving their knowledge of betel-chewing's harmful effects.