Understanding the impact of health information among marginally diagnosed older Canadian patients: evidence from non-parametric fuzzy regression discontinuity design

Project Summary

The study examines the effect of health information, particularly the receipt of a diabetes diagnosis, on the physical and mental health of Canadian individuals who are marginally diagnosed, specifically those with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels near the clinical diagnostic threshold of 6.5%. Additionally, the study seeks to elucidate the pathways through which health information influences mental health and health-related decisions. Specifically, the study objectives are to estimate the diagnosis impact among marginally diagnosed on (i) healthcare utilization, (ii) lifestyle behavior, (iii) physical health, (iv) physical activities, and (v) depression symptoms and cognitive function. Furthermore, the study will investigate the potential heterogeneity in the effect of receiving health information based on sex and gender. The study will use a quasi-experimental causal method, the non-parametric fuzzy regression discontinuity design, to achieve these objectives.