Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2020
The medical costs of low leisure-time physical activity among working-age adults: Gender and minority status matter.
This study analyzes the direct medical costs of low physical activity by race/ethnicity and gender. Average health expenditures based on physical activity status for Black non-Hispanics (NH), Asian NHs, and Hispanics were compared to White NHs. Data from the National Health Interview Survey were merged with the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for years 2000-2010 and 2001-2011, respectively, and weights were applied to ensure generalizability to the larger US population. ⋯ Among women, medical expenditures were $956 per year less among active White non-Hispanics relative to their inactive counterparts, and $815 per year among Hispanics. Essentially, the average reduction in health care expenditures is relatively consistent for five out of the eight groups. The absence of any reduction in average health care expenditures for three of the groups, however, suggests that there may be environmental factors at play for certain groups that mitigate the impact of physical activity on health expenditures.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2020
A model exploring the relationship between nutrition knowledge, behavior, diabetes self-management and outcomes from the dining with diabetes program.
To examine the relationship between changes in participant's knowledge, beliefs, dietary behavior, diabetes self-management and program outcomes in West Virginia Dinning with Diabetes (DWD) program. We used a longitudinal pre-test and post-test study design and data from 2745 individuals with diabetes who participated from 2007 to 2012. The DWD was offered in community-based settings across the state as an educational program (five classes over a 3-month period). ⋯ Diabetes self-management mediated the relationship between knowledge, dietary behavior and program outcomes. The indexes of fit for the tested model indicated a good fit [TLI =0.99, CFI = 0.95, and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) =0.05]. Results indicate DWD group sessions can be effective in supporting individuals with diabetes to change knowledge, dietary behaviors, adherence to self-management and follow-up provider visits for diabetes care.