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Physical inactivity and its impact on healthcare utilization

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Author Info
Nazmi Sari (Department of Economics & SPHERU, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Sask., Canada)

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Abstract

Physically inactive people are expected to use more healthcare services than active people. This inactivity imposes costs on the collectively funded health insurance programs. In this paper, excess utilization of healthcare services due to physical inactivity is examined using count data models and the Canadian Community Health Survey. The aim of the paper is to estimate utilization of healthcare services associated with inactivity and to estimate its impact on the Canadian healthcare system. The results suggest that physical inactivity increases hospital stays, and use of physician and nurse services. On average, an inactive person spends 38% more days in hospital than an active person. S|he also uses 5.5% more family physician visits, 13% more specialist services, and 12% more nurse visits than an active individual. The subsequent social cost of inactivity for the healthcare system is substantial. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1002/hec.1408
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Publisher Info
Article provided by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. in its journal Health Economics.

Volume (Year): 18 (2009)
Issue (Month): 8 ()
Pages: 885-901
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Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:18:y:2009:i:8:p:885-901

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Web page: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/5749

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Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Jones, Andrew M., 2000. "Health econometrics," Handbook of Health Economics, in: A. J. Culyer & J. P. Newhouse (ed.), Handbook of Health Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 6, pages 265-344 Elsevier. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Vuong, Quang H, 1989. "Likelihood Ratio Tests for Model Selection and Non-nested Hypotheses," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 57(2), pages 307-33, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Mei-ling Sheu & Teh-wei Hu & Theodore E. Keeler & Michael Ong & Hai-Yen Sung, 2004. "The effect of a major cigarette price change on smoking behavior in california: a zero-inflated negative binomial model," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 13(8), pages 781-791. [Downloadable!]
  4. Chaloupka, Frank J. & Warner, Kenneth E., 2000. "The economics of smoking," Handbook of Health Economics, in: A. J. Culyer & J. P. Newhouse (ed.), Handbook of Health Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 29, pages 1539-1627 Elsevier. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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This page was last updated on 2009-11-16.

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