Associations of physical activity with productivity and primary healthcare costs
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
the Wegelius Auditorium of Oulu Deaconess Institute, Albertinkatu 16
Topic of the dissertation
Associations of physical activity with productivity and primary healthcare costs
Doctoral candidate
Licentiate of Medicine, Master of Science (Economics), Professional Teacher qualification Hanna Junttila
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine, Research Unit of Population Health, Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine Oulu Deaconess Institute, Oulu Business School Department of Economics, Accounting, and Finance
Subject of study
Medicine
Opponent
Professor Katja Pahkala, University of Turku
Custos
Professor Raija Korpelainen, Oulun yliopisto
Physical activity produces significant economic benefits for the individual ant society
Dissertation conducted in University of Oulu found that meeting the physical activity (PA) guidelines of World Health Organization (at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75–150 minutes vigorous-intensity PA / week) might confer substantial economic benefits. Based on the study, PA has an positive association with future income. In addition, predicted adjusted outpatient primary healthcare (PHC) costs were found to be significantly lower for those males with healthy weight who persistently meet the current PA guidelines compared to those who persistently fail meeting the PA guidelines. The stydy found that income is not associated with meeting the PA guidelines in cross-sectional setting.
This study utilized data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 for three substudies. The first study was cross-sectional and considered register-based income and self-reported PA at age 46 (N = 3,335). The second study was longitudinal and considered accelerometer-measured PA at age 46 and register-based income at age 50 (N = 2,797). The third study was longitudinal and considered self-reported PA at ages 31 and 46 and outpatient PHC utilization at age 46 (N = 4,076).
Most of the adults fail to meet PA guidelines despite the global and national efforts to PA promotion. The scientific studies of PA’s impact on economy are rare. The Northern Finland's Birth Cohort 1966 offers unique data for studying the economic effects of PA at the population level by utilizing individual-level healthcare costs and register-based data on income.
"Our results suggest that PA promotion might pose significant economic benefits for both individuals and the society. From a health economics perspective, investing in PA can be seen as an investment the results of which are seen not only as health benefits but also as increased productivity and healthcare cost benefits", says Hanna Junttila. "Physically inactive individuals deserve individual support to increase their PA safely up to the current guidelines, population-level PA promotion interventions should be evolved and resources should be allocated to preventive healthcare."
This study utilized data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 for three substudies. The first study was cross-sectional and considered register-based income and self-reported PA at age 46 (N = 3,335). The second study was longitudinal and considered accelerometer-measured PA at age 46 and register-based income at age 50 (N = 2,797). The third study was longitudinal and considered self-reported PA at ages 31 and 46 and outpatient PHC utilization at age 46 (N = 4,076).
Most of the adults fail to meet PA guidelines despite the global and national efforts to PA promotion. The scientific studies of PA’s impact on economy are rare. The Northern Finland's Birth Cohort 1966 offers unique data for studying the economic effects of PA at the population level by utilizing individual-level healthcare costs and register-based data on income.
"Our results suggest that PA promotion might pose significant economic benefits for both individuals and the society. From a health economics perspective, investing in PA can be seen as an investment the results of which are seen not only as health benefits but also as increased productivity and healthcare cost benefits", says Hanna Junttila. "Physically inactive individuals deserve individual support to increase their PA safely up to the current guidelines, population-level PA promotion interventions should be evolved and resources should be allocated to preventive healthcare."
Last updated: 25.9.2024