The effect of subjective risk on health behavior and determinants of subjective risk perception

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Contraceptive behavior is a part of health behavior, and plays a crucial role in reducing artificial abortion, promoting health of mothers and their children via family planning, and preventing sexually transmitted diseases. This study shows that subjective risk, i. e., suhlective perception of indviduals regarding various risks and benefits of each method, is an important determinant of birth control choice by Japanese women. It also finds that contraceptive choice varies with indivindual characteristics, and the variation can be at least partly explained by the difference in subjective probabity by individual chararcteristics.