Available online 14 October 2022, 102692

People who exhibit greater patience in adolescence are 17-21% more likely to live until the age of 65 years.

More patient adolescents also have fewer medical diagnoses and hospitalizations throughout their adult lives.

They are also less likely to have medical conditions association with unhealthy behaviours.

This paper investigates the power of time preference to predict illness and premature mortality in adulthood. Using a unique Swedish cohort of 12,956 individuals born in 1953, interviewed in 1966, and followed with register data up to 2018, the paper reports that more patient adolescents are 17–21% less likely to die before the age of 65 years. More patient adolescents have fewer hospitalizations and diagnoses in their adult life and are less likely to be diagnosed with conditions associated with lifestyle risk factors. The investigated channels for the relationship between time preference and future health include lifestyle, education attainment, and future income. Controlling for education and income reduces the coefficient for time preference on premature mortality by one-fourth.

time preference

premature mortality

health

illness

health behavior

© 2022 Published by Elsevier B.V.