A target level of risk model of respiratory pathologies and smoking behavior

Levels of morbidity and healthcare utilization related to respiratory patho logies are correlated, first, with an indicator of the level of risk that i ndividuals are prepared to take, namely their 'individual target level of r isk', and then secondly with smoking behaviour. The results based on a Fren ch survey with a sample of 13 150 individuals show that higher target level s of risk are associated with a higher probability of being ill, with highe r levels of tobacco consumption but with lower levels of consumption of pre ventive medicine. More generally, this article shows how a target level of risk model can be formalized in an economic optimizing approach.