With increase in lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease in emerging economies, it is important to understand the impact of acquiring these health issues on household income and consumption. Using a panel data of Indian households, we show that acquiring diabetes, hypertension or heart disease results in increased medical and non-medical expenses for high-income households. However, affected low-income households, to meet their increased medical expenses, had to divert resources from non-medical expenses. Our findings add to the extant marketing literature on impact of crises on consumption behaviour and the marketing implications of such changes in consumption behaviour.
Keywords: Cardiovascular issues; IHDS; consumption; diabetes; emerging economy; health shock; heart disease; hypertension.