Impact of health risk factors on healthcare resource utilization, work-related outcomes and health-related quality of life of Australians

A population-based longitudinal data analysis

Bibliographic Data

ID22075595
AuthorsJun Mi, Mi Jun (The University of Melbourne, corresponding author), Marie Ishida (0000-0003-1212-9330, The University of Melbourne), Kanya Anindya (0000-0001-6832-0412, University of Gothenburg), Barbara Mcpake (0000-0002-9904-1077, The University of Melbourne), Bernadette M Fitzgibbon (0000-0002-5339-5304, The University of Melbourne), Bernadette Fitzgibbon, Anthony A Laverty (0000-0003-1318-8439, Monash University), An Tran‐Duy (0000-0003-0224-2858, The University of Melbourne), An Tran-Duy, John Tayu Lee (0000-0002-1551-4923, The University of Melbourne, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume11
Pages1077793-1077793
Publication date2023-11-27
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
PublisherFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2023.1077793
PMID38089024
OpenAlexW4389053660
LanguageEN
References cited57

Background Health risk factors, including smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, overweight, obesity, and insufficient physical activity, are major contributors to many poor health conditions. This study aimed to assess the impact of health risk factors on healthcare resource utilization, work-related outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Australia. Methods We used two waves of the nationally representative Household, Income, and Labor Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey from 2013 and 2017 for the analysis. Healthcare resource utilization included outpatient visits, hospitalisations, and prescribed medication use. Work-related outcomes were assessed through employment status and sick leave. HRQoL was assessed using the SF-6D scores. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) with logit or log link function and random-effects regression models were used to analyse the longitudinal data on the relationship between health risk factors and the outcomes. The models were adjusted for age, sex, marital status, education background, employment status, equilibrium household income, residential area, country of birth, indigenous status, and socio-economic status. Results After adjusting for all other health risk factors covariates, physical inactivity had the greatest impact on healthcare resource utilization, work-related outcomes, and HRQoL. Physical inactivity increased the likelihood of outpatient visits (AOR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.45, 1.76 p < 0.001), hospitalization (AOR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.66–2.01, p < 0.001), and the probability of taking sick leave (AOR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.21–1.41, p < 0.001), and decreased the odds of having an above population median HRQoL (AOR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.45–0.51, p < 0.001) after adjusting for all other health risk factors and covariates. Obesity had the greatest impact on medication use (AOR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.97–2.29, p < 0.001) after adjusting for all other health risk factors and covariates. Conclusion Our study contributed to the growing body of literature on the relative impact of health risk factors for healthcare resource utilization, work-related outcomes and HRQoL. Our results suggested that public health interventions aim at improving these risk factors, particularly physical inactivity and obesity, can offer substantial benefits, not only for healthcare resource utilization but also for productivity

Environmental health · Gee · Generalized estimating equation · Health care · Logistic regression · Marital status · Obesity · Odds · Odds ratio · Overweight · Physical therapy · Population · Sick leave · Demography · Employment and Welfare Studies · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine · Gerontology

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