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The vast majority of studies examining the relation between time preferences and health behavior have applied a measure of preferences in the financial rather than in the health domain. Most studies find a small but significant correlation. If time preferences for health and money are not the same, this can have substantial consequences for the reliability of these results. In the present paper, we set out to examine potential differences in time preferences between the two domains – money and health. Preferences over time were elicited using a stated preference matching method. Using a split sample design, the health domain was described in the context of back pain. Individuals were to match a certain sooner shorter period of pain relief against a later longer period of pain relief in the health domain, while the match in the financial domain was described as a match between a sooner smaller monetary reward and a larger later monetary reward. Data was collected through an online survey, distributed to a sample of members of fitness dk on the 7th of February 2016 and the 6th of March 2016 yielding a sample of 1687 members. In the analyses we assume quasi-hyperbolic discounting which allows us to estimate both a parameter measuring present bias and a parameter measuring impatience at an individual level. Our results demonstrate remarkably similar time preference estimates for both long term discounting and present biasedness. When analyzing differences between subgroups we observe small but significant differences between time preferences for women, retirees and individuals with a longer education. Our results shows that time preferences measured in the money and health domain in our sample are close to identical but that small differences occur in certain subgroups.

ObjectivesMany sedentary individuals are aware of the health benefits of regular physical activity and start becoming more physically active. Yet, despite good intentions, many struggle to keep up initial exercise levels and experience a decline in exercise frequency. A possible explanation is that it is hard to establish habits or routines, and that such routines—once established—might be easy to break. In this paper, we analyse whether a break in habitual/routine behaviour—induced by the Easter holidays—results in individuals exercising less after the break.MethodsThe study included a sample of 1210 members of a Danish chain of fitness centres who were gym members at least since the preceding New Year’s Day. Participants granted access to gym attendance data, which were automatically recorded when entering the gym. We use a regression discontinuity design encompassing a time period of 10 weeks prior to and 10 weeks after Easter.ResultsWe found a significant and relevant discretionary drop in exercise frequency right after the Easter holidays of 0.24 times per week (p=0.001) corresponding to a fall of 12.25% compared with the week prior to the Easter holidays. The effect was especially profound for individuals below retirement age and for individuals who had attended the gym with a higher frequency (twice a week or more) in the 6 weeks prior to the Easter break.DiscussionThis information is potentially relevant for helping individuals maintain an exercise habit. Motivational support should focus on the time period after normative breaks, such as Easter or other holidays.

BACKGROUND: Oral anticoagulation therapy reduces the risk of ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, more data on the costs of stroke in patients with AF are needed to assess how this therapy affects societal costs.OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to estimate the average 3-year societal costs of first-incident ischemic stroke in Danish patients with AF, including costs of health care, social care services, and productivity loss.METHODS: The study was designed as an incidence-based cost-of-illness study covering the entire Danish population. All patients with a hospital diagnosis of AF were identified, and propensity score-matched analyses were used to estimate costs attributable to first-incident stroke among patients with AF in the period 2002 to 2012. All data were obtained from nationwide registries.RESULTS: A total of 21,673 patients with AF were identified with a first-incident stroke. The average 3-year costs attributable to stroke were US $30,925 per patient (present value) corresponding to US $19,989 in the incidence year and US $7,683 and US $5,176 1 and 2 years after the stroke, respectively. Health care accounted for 66% of the 3-year costs, with hospitalizations in the incidence year as the main cost driver. After the incidence year, costs of social care services exceeded health care costs. Sensitivity analyses showed that the cost estimates were relatively robust.CONCLUSIONS: The societal costs of first-incident stroke in patients with AF are substantial. This new evidence can be valuable as an input for decision making regarding the treatment of AF and prevention of future strokes.