Older Adults' Physical Activity and Healthcare Costs, 2003-2014

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Economics
• Gerontology

Background:

• While health benefits of physical activity in older adults are known, its population-level impact on healthcare expenditure is understudied.
• Existing research lacks comprehensive analysis of the association between physical activity prevalence and healthcare costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between physical activity prevalence and healthcare costs among older adults at the state level in the U.S.
• To determine if physical activity influences Medicare spending over time.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 12-year state-level data (2003-2014) on physical activity and Medicare Parts A and B spending.
• Employed fixed-effect models to analyze associations, including lagged variables for physical activity prevalence (1, 2, and 3 years prior).

Main Results:

• A significant inverse relationship was observed between physical activity prevalence and Medicare costs with a 2-year and 3-year lag.
• A 10 percentage point increase in physical activity prevalence was associated with a 0.4% cost reduction after 2 years and a 1.0% reduction after 3 years.

Conclusions:

• A time-lagged inverse relationship exists between physical activity prevalence and healthcare costs in older adults.
• Findings support long-term public investment in physical activity interventions to reduce healthcare spending.