Patient autonomy and education in specific medical knowledge

Arbeitspapier

The asymmetry between the patient as a layman and the physician as an expert is a key element in health economics. However, a change to a higher degree of patient autonomy has taken place. Furthermore, there is a consensus in a positive correlation between general education and productivity of medical care. This paper focuses on the individual investments of laymen in specific medical education as a decision problem in which the ex-post strategies of the individual are consultation and self-care as imperfect substitutes. It is assumed that specific knowledge increases the self-diagnosis competence (self-protection) and the self-care productivity (self-insurance) as dimensions of autonomy. The analysis is divided into two forms of ex-post decision making according to individual rationality: 1. ambiguity 2. uncertainty. An elaboration of necessary conditions for investments in education is undertaken.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Dresden Discussion Paper Series in Economics ; No. 07/10

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles ; Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty: General ; Health Behavior ; Education and Research Institutions: General
• Subject: patient autonomy ; education ; self-care ; ambiguity ; uncertainty

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Lukas, Daniel
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Technische Universität Dresden, Fakultät Wirtschaftswissenschaften
• (where): Dresden
• (when): 2010

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/48164
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:45 AM CET