A Theoretical and Empirical Investigation of the Effects of Public Health Subsidies for STD Testing

The paper investigates, both theoretically and empirically, the private demand for STD testing and for protection against infection with emphasis on testing for the AIDS virus (HIV) and on the effects of public subsidies for such testing on the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases. We discuss the theoretical conditions under which subsidizing testing either increases or decreases disease incidence and provide evidence on the empirical significance of those conditions.

[1]  R. Bayer,et al.  Controlling AIDS in Cuba. The logic of quarantine. , 1989, The New England journal of medicine.

[2]  C. Tauer.  AIDS: human rights and public health. , 1989, Medical anthropology.

[3]  J. Goudsmit,et al.  Impact of HIV antibody testing on changes in sexual behavior among homosexual men in The Netherlands. , 1988, American journal of public health.

[4]  J J Goedert,et al.  Effect of knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus infection status on sexual activity among homosexual men. , 1990, Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes.

[5]  R. Johnson,et al.  Evidence for the effects of HIV antibody counseling and testing on risk behaviors. , 1991, JAMA.

[6]  Can Having Fewer Partners Increase Prevalence of Aids? , 1994 .

[7]  B. Lo,et al.  AIDS antibody testing. Will it stop the AIDS epidemic? Will it help people infected with HIV? , 1988, The American psychologist.

[8]  D E Bloom,et al.  Benefits and costs of HIV testing. , 1991, Science.

[9]  E M de Vroome,et al.  Effect of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody knowledge on high-risk sexual behavior with steady and nonsteady sexual partners among homosexual men. , 1989, American journal of epidemiology.

[10]  R. Brookmeyer,et al.  Effect of HIV antibody disclosure on subsequent sexual activity in homosexual men. , 1987, AIDS.

[11]  R. Posner.  Sex and Reason , 1992 .

[12]  L. Kingsley,et al.  The HIV antibody test: why gay and bisexual men want or do not want to know their results. , 1987, Public health reports.

[13]  T. Philipson,et al.  An empirical examination of the implications of assortative matching on the incidence of HIV. , 1996, Journal of Health Economics.

[14]  R. Boruch,et al.  Evaluating AIDS Prevention Programs , 1991 .

[15]  R. Posner,et al.  Public Spending on AIDS Education: An Economic Analysis , 1994, The Journal of Law and Economics.

[16]  R. Crisp.  Autonomy, welfare and the treatment of AIDS. , 1989, Journal of medical ethics.