Health As Consumption Object: Construct and Heuristic Study

ABSTRACT - Do people do health like they do shopping or clubbing? The notion of consumption object has appeared in the literature on consumer behaviour. But what, exactly, is a consumption object and how does it differ from a commodity? This paper suggests a definition for consumption object and examines the possibility that health is understood as a consumption object. These theoretical speculations are given practical expression in a heuristic study that factors in gender and social class. We examine marketing and public policy implications, particularly with reference to health inequalities.

Citation:

Nicholas Gould and Elizabeth A. Gould (2001) ,"Health As Consumption Object: Construct and Heuristic Study", in E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 5, eds. Andrea Groeppel-Klien and Frank-Rudolf Esch, Provo, UT : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 4.

European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 5, 2001      Page 4

HEALTH AS CONSUMPTION OBJECT: CONSTRUCT AND HEURISTIC STUDY

Nicholas Gould, University of Glamorgan, United Kingdom

Elizabeth A. Gould, Gwent Health Authority, United Kingdom

ABSTRACT -

Do people do health like they do shopping or clubbing? The notion of consumption object has appeared in the literature on consumer behaviour. But what, exactly, is a consumption object and how does it differ from a commodity? This paper suggests a definition for consumption object and examines the possibility that health is understood as a consumption object. These theoretical speculations are given practical expression in a heuristic study that factors in gender and social class. We examine marketing and public policy implications, particularly with reference to health inequalities.

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