2024/10/29 by Daniella P. Alva, Talbot M. Andrews, Andrew W. Delton · 1 voice
Business, Management and Accounting · Health Professions · Social Sciences · #Employment and Welfare Studies #Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology #Social Policy and Reform Studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/pops.13060
openalex publication_date 2024/10/29 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
Abstract Many people want the government involved in healthcare. Is this because citizens are concerned about their own vulnerability, the plight of vulnerable others, or both? To test for these concerns, we used representative surveys and experimental economic games. We found robust evidence for concern for others. In surveys, people who worried about vulnerable others wanted more government involvement in healthcare. In experiments, people with the opportunity to subsidize vulnerable others often helped. The evidence for personal concern was more mixed. In surveys, people who were personally vulnerable did not usually want more government involvement in healthcare. In experiments, however, vulnerable people often wanted more healthcare. Additional data suggests that concern for the vulnerable is motivated by social preferences, empathy, and compassion. We discuss how the logic of healthcare is different from other aspects of the welfare state and therefore needs to be studied separately.