Document Type
Article
Subject Area(s)
Public Health
Abstract
We examined the costs of a physical activity (PA) and an educational comparison intervention. 424 older adults at risk for mobility disability were randomly assigned to either condition. The PA program consisted of center-based exercise sessions 3x weekly for 8 weeks, 2x weekly for weeks 9 to 24 and weekly behavioral counseling for 10 weeks. Optional sessions were offered during maintenance weeks (25-52). The comparison intervention consisted of weekly education meetings for 24 weeks, and then monthly for 6 months. Cost analyses were conducted from the "payer's" perspective, with a 1-year time horizon. Intervention costs were estimated by tracking personnel activities and materials used for each intervention and multiplying by national unit cost averages. The average cost/participant was $1134 and $175 for the PA and the comparison interventions, respectively. A preliminary cost/effectiveness analysis gauged the cost/disability avoided to be $28,206. Costs for this PA program for older adults are comparable to those of other PA interventions. The results are preliminary and a longer study is required to fully assess the costs and health benefits of these interventions.
Publication Info
Published in Journal of Physical Activity and Health, Volume 6, Issue 6, 2009, pages 767-774.
Rights
Groessl, E. J., Kaplan, R. M., Blair, S. N., Rejeski, W. J., Katula, J. A., King, A. C., ... Pahor, M. (2009). A cost analysis of a physical activity intervention for older adults. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 6(6), 767-774.
© Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 2009, Human Kinetics