There are many differentiated product industries in which firms offer multiple products in the same market. In making strategic decisions regarding entry, quality and quantity to be supplied for their multiple products firms must consider the competition with rivals as well as cannibalization of their own products that are close substitutes. In this setting, understanding the relationship between the behavior of consumer demand and firms decisions' regarding product characteristics and strategic variables like advertising are fundamental issues in industrial organization. This dissertation empirically explores these fundamental issues in the pharmaceutical and airline industries. The first paper of my dissertation estimates consumer demand for different anti-cholesterol drugs using panel data on a nationally representative sample of individuals who were diagnosed with cholesterol problems in the period 1996-2002. The data provides detailed information on individuals' medical conditions, medical and drug insurance coverage, drug purchases (if any), and other demographic and medical information. Individuals choose whether to purchase an anti-cholesterol rug and, if so, which drug to buy. The model permits flexible substitution patterns among drug choices and persistence in those choices by incorporating both observed and unobserved consumer heterogeneity. The estimates suggest that lower income patients without prescription drug insurance are very price sensitive: they are less likely to use drugs and, if they do use them, they tend to purchase the less expensive drugs. I find that roughly 500 thousand individuals without drug insurance who are currently not purchasing anti-cholesterol drugs would do so in the counterfactual world in which they are given the standard co-payment plan. The second paper also looks at consumer demands for anti-cholesterol drugs. While the first paper focused on the differentiated products, this paper explores the market expansion effects of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). The study combines the individual data used in the first paper with monthly expenditure data on DTCA for the period 1996-2002. The dynamic demand model estimated in this paper explores the heterogeneous effects of DTCA. Overall, I find a positive effect from DTCA with short term elasticity of 0.107. Through persistence in consumer demand this effect lasts over multiple time periods. I find that individuals not taking a cholesterol drug respond more to advertising than those on the drug. In addition, I find that less educated individuals, those that may be unaware of their health condition, and those without health insurance are most responsive to DTCA. Finally, the third paper studies the effect of product ownership and quality on entry in the airline industry. Specifically, this paper empirically examines the decision of an airline to offer high quality nonstop service between cities given that the airline may or may not be offering lower quality one-stop service. I find that airlines that offer one-stop service through a hub are less likely to enter that same market with nonstop service than those that do not. In addition, the quality of the one-stop service is another determinant of entry. Airlines are more likely to enter a market with nonstop service if their own or their rival's one-stop service in the market are of lower quality. / text

Background: Despite implementation efforts, most anxious youth do not receive evidence-based treatment. Dissemination initiatives can increase consumer knowledge of evidence-based treatments. Opinion leaders (OLs) have been used in public health campaigns, but this strategy has not been examined for the dissemination of mental health treatments. This study uses the theory of planned behavior to test the dissemination strategies of (1) involving an OL and (2) using an educational presentation to increase caregiver demand for CBT for youth anxiety. Methods: Participants (N=262; 92% Female; 69% White, 82% non-Hispanic) were caregivers who registered for a virtual presentation on youth anxiety and how to seek treatment. Caregivers were cluster-randomized by school (N=25) to the OL condition (presented by a clinical researcher and local caregiver OL) or the researcher-only condition (presented by two clinical researchers). Presentations occurred from May 2021-May 2022. Measures were completed pre- and post-presentation, and at three-month follow-up. Results: One hundred and nine participants attended the presentations. Relative to the researcher co-presenter, participants rated the OL as significantly more relatable, familiar, similar, and understanding of their community, but significantly less credible. Across conditions, there was a significant increase in participants’ (a) knowledge of, (b) subjective norms related to, and (c) intention to seek CBT for youth anxiety, but no change in stigma or attitudes about CBT. Presentation conditions did not differ in change on these measures, or on rates of seeking youth anxiety CBT at three-month follow-up. Conclusion: Although involvement of a caregiver OL did not increase caregiver demand for EBT for youth anxiety, the overall outreach presentation was an effective dissemination strategy. Involving OLs may not be necessary for all consumer audiences, but may be beneficial for individuals with higher levels of stigma or scientific skepticism than participants in this study. / Psychology

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Thesis advisor: John J. Michalczyk / The internet is changing health care right under out very noses. In doing so, it may have great impact on the physician-patient relationship. This relationship exists along a continuum, with paternalism at one end and total patient autonomy at the other. Various aspects of web-based health care (eHealth) are pushing the equilibrium one way or the other. Aspects of eHealth considered include: general health information websites, internet pharmacies, health communication infrastructures (as in physician-patient email and electronic medical records), and finally web-brokered organ transplantation. While there is obviously much to be aware of in terms of quality on the internet, it is concluded that an integration of eHealth into traditional medicine (thus creating cybermedicine) may not only help to mitigate the managed care crisis, but may also change the physician-patient relationship—hopefully for the better. / Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2005. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

The introduction of welfare markets in publicly financed healthcare system has together with digital innovation of healthcare delivery led to a rapid growth of direct-to-consumer telemedicine services. In Sweden, the rise of such digital doctors has sparked a debate and there are indications that these developments might affect the overreaching goals of Swedish healthcare delivery on equal terms and according to need. This thesis examines the emergence of the new digital healthcare market and the political debate surrounding these developments, in order to answer the overreaching question of what these developments mean for equity in health in the Swedish healthcare system. This is done by describing developments on the digital healthcare market in Sweden and by conducting an idea analysis of the political parties’ views on these developments. Findings indicate that healthcare providers have great influence on the digital healthcare market in Sweden at the expense of public actors. Results from the idea analysis shows that political parties mainly discuss health equity in relation to the digital healthcare market in line with social or liberal egalitarian ideas of health equity.

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Background: In light of the multitude of different channel options consumers have at hand and the rapidly advancing vertical integration of established brand manufacturers across industries, the question arises as to the basis on which consumers make their channel decision for a manufacturers direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales channel. Scholars have found that channel attributes and product-related factors generally play a pivotal role in consumer channel choice and have shown the influence they have on offline versus online channel choice. However, research in the context of established brand manufacturers offering D2C sales channels is so far underrepresented in the consumer channel choice literature despite its high current relevance. Purpose: This study investigates which channel attributes and product-related factors influence a consumer’s decision to fulfill a purchase through a manufacturer’s online D2C channel and how they do so, in order to gain insights into this so far insufficiently studied research context. Method: The data of this qualitative, explorative study was generated through semi-structured interviews with 16 purposefully selected samples. The sample was segmented demographically into four groups ranging from Baby Boomers to Generation Z, in which men and women are equally represented to create a heterogenous sample set. The data analysis followed an inductive approach using thematic analysis. Conclusion: This study found that 12 channel attributes and 8 product-related factors are relevant to consumer channel choice in the context of established manufacturers’ D2C channels.  Furthermore, it was found that channel choice is not exclusively based on the aforementioned, but that the individual factors are also interrelated. Particularly important are also influencing factors, which further affect consumer channel choice. Lastly, all identified factors are evaluated in tandem. A conceptual framework depicting these findings was developed.

Background: Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests are tests sold directly to consumers, normally without the involvement of healthcare professionals, which aim to provide consumers with their relative genetic risk for various complex diseases. Providers claim that this information will enable and encourage consumers to improve their health behaviour in order to reduce their likelihood of contracting diseases for which they are at an increased genetic risk. However, there are many criticisms and concerns about DTC genetic tests in the literature. Two common concerns are the lack of positive effects, and possible negative effects, that the information generated by the tests may have on consumers health behaviour and health anxiety, and the identified poor quality of information provision on the websites of providers of DTC genetic tests. Although the literature contains some research in these areas it is noticeably limited and occasionally contradictory. Aim and Methods: The aim of the research was to investigate the informational aspects of direct-to-consumer genetic tests, including the provision of information by the companies, consumers information needs and information-seeking behaviour and the effect of the information generated by the tests on health behaviour and health anxiety. The research consisted of three studies: a survey of 275 consumers and potential consumers of DTC genetic tests, in-depth email interviews with 36 consumers of DTC genetic tests and a content analysis of the information provided on all identified providers websites. Results: Positive or neutral changes in health behaviour were identified in a large minority of respondents who had been exposed to genetic risk information, along with the mechanisms by which the information prompted or contributed to change. A minority reported a change in health anxiety, mainly but not exclusively a decrease, with mechanisms again identified. Consumers reported a wide variety of information needs, the most common of which were information to do with the coverage and accuracy of the tests. The provision of information on providers websites varied considerably, both between and within providers, but was generally poor. However, most consumers used other sources alongside these websites, the most common of which was blogs. Conclusions: The results suggest that concerns about possible negative effects of the information generated by the tests are unfounded and that a large minority of consumers have improved health behaviour and decreased health anxiety after purchase. The results also suggest that concern about information provision on providers websites is justified; although this is mitigated by consumers general use of other sources alongside the websites, it is likely that a substantial number of consumers do not have access to enough information to give fully informed consent to the test.

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L’être humain est de plus en plus souvent inscrit dans des contextes où lui est accessible un savoir nouveau sur sa vie biologique (e.g., gènes, épigénome, neurones, microbiote). À portées de mains ou de clics, des médiations toujours plus nombreuses (e.g. tests génétiques prédictifs en matière de santé ; « récréatifs », relatifs à l’« ancestralité biogéographique », microbiote intestinal ou à l’« âge épigénétique » ; applications dites de « self-tracking ») mettent l’usager en relation avec des formats d’information de plus en plus diversifiés (e.g., SNP’s, diagnostics, probabilités exprimées sous forme de pourcentages de développer des maladies ou d’autres conditions : réponses de l’organisme à certains pathogènes et molécules, résistance à certaines pathologie, et d’autres propriétés qui seraient influencées par la génétique, comme la longévité ou les facultés cognitives). La découverte de ces données biologiques éprouve la personne et la confronte à de nouvelles inquiétudes qu’elle doit traverser.Menée sur base de trois terrains situés dans le champ de la santé (consultation médicale, usage du web en matière de santé, et usage d’auto-tests tests génétiques), cette recherche contribue à la compréhension de ce phénomène de société. Elle s’applique en particulier à préciser la variété des façons dont la personne intègre ces données nouvelles qui s’accompagnent d’une prétention à un réalisme fort. Dans certains cas, ces technologies fournissent à l’individu une image objectivante de son « identité ». L’approche préconisée s’articule à un questionnement anthropologique singulier : Comment la personne s’arrange-t-elle de situations dans lesquelles elle est mise en relation non plus seulement avec d’autres humains mais au premier titre avec des données objectivantes relatives à son intériorité biologique ? Cette question anthropologique invite à porter au moins autant d’attention à ce qui nous relie à autrui et à notre environnement (deux questions classiquement situées au cœur du projet de la sociologie), qu’aux façons dont l’humain assure une continuité avec lui- même dans des situations où le vivant pose question. Cette recherche démontre que la conduite effectivement adoptée par les usagers des trois médiations examinées est irréductible à l’attente d’autonomie souvent promue comme prise en charge de sa santé relevant d’un plan d’action orienté vers un but à atteindre. Soutenue par des outils sociologiques qui sous-tendent une conception plurielle du sujet et de l’action, cette recherche attire l’attention sur des dynamiques peu traitées dans les sciences sociales de la santé. L’examen attentif du maintien du sujet mis à l’épreuve de ces nouveaux savoirs jette une lumière nouvelle sur l’habileté de l’humain à évoluer entre une pluralité de positions, de définitions de ce qu’il se passe et/ou de qui il est afin de s’arranger de ces découvertes qui insécurisent son état de sujet. Plutôt que de considérer le caractère ambivalent, équivoque et parfois carrément ambigu de la conduite de l’usager comme un échec de l’analyse, ce travail contribue à une approche de la composition dans le rapport à soi et à autrui. / More than ever before humans have access to new knowledge about their biological life (e.g., genes, biochemical marks influencing phenotypes, neurons, microbiota). This knowledge is progressively transfered out of laboratories and into commercial markets. Then, by means of an ever-increasing number of readily available mediations (e.g. direct-to-consumer (epi)genomic tests (DTC GT), health-related uses of the Internet, direct-to-consumer genomic tests, self-tracking applications on smartphones) layusers are connected to an increasingly diverse array of data (e.g., online diagnostics, genomic predispositions, probabilities, SNP’s). My doctoral thesis develops an investigation of the practices whereby individuals ensure continuity with others/themselves when confronted to new knowledge related to their biology. Knowing the so-called “real” or potential biological endowment of oneself but also of others has tremendous social, political and ethical consequences. These new reflexive technologies grant individuals with an objectifying image of their “identity”. These new objectifying data related to the biological self puts the subject to test. They confront them to inquietudes they have to cope with.Built on three fieldworks located in the field of health (the classic medical examination, health-related information on the Internet, health-related direct-to-consumer genomic tests), this research fosters a better understanding of this social phenomenon. My investigation specifically seeks to clarify the variety of ways that allow individuals to integrate these new data marked with a strong degree of realism. The approach set forth in this research revolves on a specific anthropological question: how human beings find arrangements with situations in which they are not only confronted to others but also with objectifying data related to their biological life? This anthropological problematic invites us to bring at least as much attention to what connects us with others than to the specific ways individuals ensure continuity with themselves in contexts where the “living” raises question. My research demonstrates that the conduct actually adopted by users of the three mediations studied is irreducible to the expected liberal autonomy often promoted in the literature as “management of one’s health”. A careful analysis of the subject’s consistence facing this new knowledge highlights social dynamics that have received little attention in the field of social sciences of health. The fieldworks carried out provide new insights on the human ability to bring together different positions or definitions of what is happening and/or who you are in order to arrange with these discoveries that challenge their subject consistency. Rather than considering the equivocal features and sometimes the outright ambiguity of the conducts as a failure of the analysis, this research effort contributes achieving a better understanding of the pervasiveness of composition in our relationship to our self and the others in social contexts related to biology