Perceptions and Knowledge of Underlying Health Conditions in Mexico

Susan Parker, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE)
Luis Rubalcava, Spectron Desarrollo S.C. and Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE)
Graciela M. Teruel, Universidad Iberoamericana

This paper analyze knowledge of health conditions in Mexico by comparing measured health indicators with self reported indicators. We use anthropometric information in the Mexican Family Life Survey (MxFLS) to analyze the extent to which people are knowledgeable of their health conditions, in particular regarding weight, height, blood pressure and glucose levels and the extent to which what individuals report correlates with their actual measures. Reporting errors may derive from lack of knowledge about true health conditions or embarrassment in reporting, such as in the case of weight. We use the MxFLS to estimate the variables associated with reporting errors focusing on the impacts of socio economic variables as well as those reflecting access to health care.