An Integrated Behavioral Model for Medical Tourism: An American Perspective

Abstract

This study aims to develop and test a theoretical model that predicts individuals’ intention to engage in medical tourism. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to test the study hypotheses by using data collected from 246 US residents. The study results indicated that perceived benefits were positively, and perceived barriers negatively, associated with attitude, and perceived barriers had a negative impact on perceived behavioral control. The study results further revealed that attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norm positively influenced individuals’ intention to engage in medical tourism. Finally, a significant moderating effect of perceived severity was found on the relationships between perceived benefits and attitude, perceived barriers and attitude, and attitude and behavioral intention. The findings of the study offer valuable theoretical contributions and practical implications in the context of medical tourism.

Medical, Health and Wellness Tourism Research—A Review of the Literature (1970–2020) and Research Agenda

“…Medical tourism is an expanding global phenomenon [15,23,24]. Driven by high healthcare costs, long patient waiting lists, or a lack of access to new therapies in some countries, many medical tourists (mainly from the United States, Canada, and Western Europe) often seek access to care in Asia, Central and Southern Europe, and Latin America [25][26][27].…”

“…A consensus is yet to be established on the definitions and contents of medical-healthwellness tourism, and how they interact, including their potential overlaps. Medical travel and tourism, health tourism, wellness tourism, and other similar terms (e.g., birth tourism, cosmetic surgery tourism, dental tourism) tend to be investigated separately in tourism research [15][16][17][18][19][20]. Notwithstanding the apparently disconnected nature of published research in this field, medical-health-wellness tourism has become much more popular for a variety of economic, cultural, lifestyle and leisure reasons [11,21,22].…”

The last frontier of globalization: Trade and foreign direct investment in healthcare

“…Among the regulatory changes, for instance, European Court of Justice rulings allow EU residents to receive treatment in member states other than their own under certain circumstances (Bertinato et al, 2005). At the individual level, healthcare trade is subject to perceptions concerning costs and benefits (Chaulagain, Pizam, & Wang, 2020).…”

Risk Perception and Intention of Touring to the City of Sabang in the Time of the Covid-19 Pandemic

“…This TPB theory is often used in various studies related to psychology and is subsequently used by various disciplines (Heikal, et al, 2014). TBP is one of the most widely used psychological approach models by researchers to explain and predict human behavior (Chaulagain et al 2020). TPB has been commonly used in various disciplinary contexts (Ferdous, 2010).…”