We study the roles of education and individual time preferences for asymptomatic
disease detection and management. Using a sample of 4209 hypertensive
Indonesian adults, we find that both education and individual time preferences play
important roles. However, the effects are different for people in good health than
they are for people in bad health. Education in particular does not seem to matter
for disease detection when respondents are in good general health, and its effects
on disease management vary largely in magnitudes between these groups. These
facts point to two distinct channels through which education can affect health, and
suggest that different types of policies need to be implemented, in order to reach
the entire population. Traditional programs that stimulate education and improve
the socio-economic status of individuals in developing countries are helpful, but
they do not address the whole problem.