Cost of Changing Physical Activity Behavior in Primary Care
Author Information
Author(s): Boehler Christian EH, Milton Karen E, Bull Fiona C, Fox-Rushby Julia A
Primary Institution: Brunel University
Hypothesis
What are the costs associated with changing physical activity behavior using different recruitment strategies in primary care?
Conclusion
Disease register screening is more costly than opportunistic patient recruitment but results in better outcomes in terms of behavioral change.
Supporting Evidence
- Opportunistic sites had a lower cost per patient completing the PACP compared to disease register sites.
- Patients in disease register centres reported a greater increase in physical activity levels.
- The incremental cost to convert one sedentary adult to an active state was £886.50 in disease register practices.
Takeaway
This study looks at how much it costs to help people become more active through their doctors, finding that one way is more expensive but also works better.
Methodology
The study used a combination of activity-based costing, audit data, and a survey of practice managers to gather cost data and analyzed self-reported physical activity changes using a regression-based approach.
Potential Biases
Self-selection bias may have influenced the results, as patients recruited through disease registers may have been more motivated to change their behavior.
Limitations
The study relied on self-reported data for physical activity, which may be biased, and had a small sample size for follow-up data.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 16 to 74 years and included both men and women, with varying socio-economic backgrounds.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0482
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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