Faculty - Mariana Carrera

Assistant Professor, Economics

Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 2011
B.S., Duke University, 2004

The research interests of Mariana P. Carrera, PhD, lie in the fields of health economics and behavioral economics. Her recent work is focused on drug prescribing and adherence decisions. She investigates how physicians respond to patient copayments and patient price sensitivity when choosing which drug to prescribe, and how the complex variation in copayments across insurance plans can obstruct their response.

In another ongoing project, Dr. Carrera is investigating what drives consumer preferences for brand-name over-the-counter drugs. Understanding the factors of rigid brand attachment will inform current debates about direct-to-consumer drug advertising and consumer engagement in healthcare decisions. Other current projects center on commitment devices for exercise and for healthy eating.

Dr. Carrera obtained her PhD in Economics at the University of California-Berkeley.

Selected Publications

• Carrera, M., Joyce, G., Goldman, D., Sood, N. (2012). Physician Prescribing Behavior and its Impact on Patient Outcomes American Journal of Managed Care.