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Gender, risk perceptions, and smoking behavior

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Abstract
Among younger cohorts, the smoking rate of females has surpassed that of males in many western countries. This is a departure from the common observation that males engage more frequently in risky behaviors. The underlying reasons for gender differences in smoking behavior, and thus for the recent trends, are not well understood. Using a sample of 8,592 Swedish adolescents aged 15-18, this paper contributes to the literature by exploring gender differences in smoking risk perceptions and in the responses to the latter. The results show significant gender differences in the perception of smoking mortality risk and in the perception of the addictiveness of smoking. Girls perceive the mortality risk of smoking as significantly greater than boys do, but they also perceive the addictiveness of cigarettes as less. These results persist after controlling for a wide range of background characteristics, including smoking risk information sources. Moreover, the findings suggest that while smoking information from sources such as teachers, pals, and own search, affect smoking mortality perceptions in a significant and positive manner among boys, no such effects are obtained among girls. Finally, no evidence is found for gender differences in the effect of perceived risks of smoking on the probability of being a smoker.

Suggested Citation

  • Lundborg, Petter & Andersson, Henrik, 2007. "Gender, risk perceptions, and smoking behavior," Working Papers 2007:5, Swedish National Road & Transport Research Institute (VTI).
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:vtiwps:2007_005
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    as
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    Cited by:

    1. Henrik Andersson & Petter Lundborg, 2007. "Perception of own death risk," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 34(1), pages 67-84, February.
    2. Bubonya, Melisa & Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Wooden, Mark, 2017. "Mental health and productivity at work: Does what you do matter?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 150-165.
    3. Amin, Vikesh & Lhila, Aparna, 2016. "Decomposing racial differences in adolescent smoking in the U.S," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 161-176.
    4. Islam, Marco, 2021. "Motivated Risk Assessments," Working Papers 2021:12, Lund University, Department of Economics, revised 26 Jul 2022.
    5. Henrik Andersson, 2011. "Perception of Own Death Risk: An Assessment of Road‐Traffic Mortality Risk," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(7), pages 1069-1082, July.
    6. Yating Chuang & John Chung-En Liu, 2020. "Who wears a mask? Gender differences in risk behaviors in the COVID-19 early days in Taiwan," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 40(4), pages 2619-2627.
    7. David L. Dickinson & Sean P.A. Drummond & Jeff Dyche, 2014. "Voluntary sleep choice and its effects on Bayesian decisions: A study of two samples of college students," Working Papers 14-11, Department of Economics, Appalachian State University.
    8. Shoji, Masahiro & Cato, Susumu & Iida, Takashi & Ishida, Kenji & Ito, Asei & McElwain, Kenneth, 2020. "COVID-19 and Social Distancing in the Absence of Legal Enforcement: Survey Evidence from Japan," MPRA Paper 100723, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Petrolia, Daniel R., 2016. "Risk preferences, risk perceptions, and risky food," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 37-48.
    10. Andersson, Henrik & Lundborg, Petter, 2006. "Perception of Own Death Risk: An Analysis of Road-Traffic and Overall Mortality Risks," Working Papers 2006:1, Swedish National Road & Transport Research Institute (VTI).
    11. Apouey, Bénédicte H., 2018. "Preparation for old age in France: The roles of preferences and expectations," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 15-23.
    12. Anna-Liesa Lange & Philipp Otto, 2016. "Bayes’sche Statistik in der Dienstleistungsforschung [Bayesian statistics in service research]," AStA Wirtschafts- und Sozialstatistisches Archiv, Springer;Deutsche Statistische Gesellschaft - German Statistical Society, vol. 10(4), pages 247-267, December.
    13. Jie‐Min Lee & Sheng‐Hung Chen & Hsiang‐Hsi Liu & Jung‐Yao Hung & Mei‐Yun Huang, 2010. "Effects Of Health Risk Information On Addictive Goods Consumption: A Case Of Tobacco, Alcohol, And Betel Nuts In Taiwan," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 28(3), pages 406-413, July.
    14. Cobb-Clark, Deborah A., 2016. "Biology and Gender in the Labor Market," IZA Discussion Papers 10386, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Shelby Gerking & Raman Khaddaria, 2012. "Perceptions Of Health Risk And Smoking Decisions Of Young People," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(7), pages 865-877, July.
    16. David L. Dickinson & Scott R. Collier, 2012. "The Effects of Moderate Exercise on Bayesian Choices," Working Papers 12-06, Department of Economics, Appalachian State University.
    17. Gerking, S.D. & Khaddaria, R., 2012. "Perceptions of health risk and smoking decisions of young people," Other publications TiSEM 2e129465-1e69-4454-83d7-7, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    18. Emily E. Loud & Katia Gallegos-Carrillo & Inti Barrientos-Gutiérrez & Edna Arillo-Santillán & Victoria C. Lambert & Luis Zavala-Arciniega & James F. Thrasher, 2021. "Smoking Behaviors, Mental Health, and Risk Perceptions during the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Mexican Adult Smokers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-14, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender; smoking; risk perceptions; information;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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