Journal List > J Korean Acad Nurs > v.42(2) > 1002796

Kim and Park: Impact of level of physical activity on healthcare utilization among Korean adults

Abstract

Purpose

This study was done to identify the impact of physical activity on healthcare utilization among Korean adults.

Methods

Drawing from the 2008 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES IV-2), data from 6,521 adults who completed the Health Interview and Health Behavior Surveys were analyzed. Association between physical activity and healthcare utilization was tested using the χ2-test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratios of using outpatient and inpatient healthcare for different levels of physical activity after adjusting for predisposing, enabling, and need factors. A generalized linear model applying a negative binomial distribution was used to determine how the level of physical activity was related to use of outpatient and inpatient healthcare.

Results

Physically active participants were 16% less likely to use outpatient healthcare (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.74-0.97) and 23% less likely to use inpatient healthcare (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63-0.93) than physically inactive participants. Levels of outpatient and inpatient healthcare use decreased as levels of physical activity increased, after adjusting for relevant factors.

Conclusion

An independent association between being physically active and lower healthcare utilization was ascertained among Korean adults indicating a need to develop nursing intervention programs that encourage regular physical activity.

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Characteristics of Participants
jkan-42-199-i001
Table 2
Healthcare Utilization by Level of Physical Activity
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*Duncan grouping: a>b.

Table 3
Healthcare Use and Level of Physical Activity*
jkan-42-199-i003

*Predisposing characteristics (gender, age, and education), enabling resource (family income), and need factors (self-rated health, body mass index, illness during 2 weeks, restriction during 2 weeks, restriction during 1 month, and comorbility) were adjusted in the binomial regression analysis.

Table 4
Number of Healthcare Uses and the Level of Physical Activity*
jkan-42-199-i004

*Predisposing characteristics (gender, age, and education), enabling resource (family income), and need factors (self-rated health, body mass index, illness during 2 weeks, restriction during 2 weeks, restriction during 1 month, and comorbidity) were adjusted in the binomial regression analysis.

Notes

This research was supported by the Gachon University Research Fund in 2012(GCU-2012-R014).

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