[A study of the association between the results of health examinations and medical costs 10 years thereafter using government-managed health insurance data].
OBJECTIVE
Using a data set combining the results of lifestyle-related disease prevention health examinations with medical fee receipts for individuals insured under government managed health insurance, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of health examination results on medical costs 10 years thereafter.


METHODS
A random sample stratified by sex and age was drawn from people insured under the government managed health insurance in Mie Prefecture, Japan, who had undergone annual health examinations in 1993, 1998, and 2003, and who had incurred medical costs in 2003. By examining a sample of 2,165 individuals for whom data were available, an analysis was performed on the relationship between the results of health examinations in 1993 and medical costs in 2003. Costs were converted to a logarithmic scale and analyzed by one way analysis of variance. The relationship between risks and medical costs was examined through analysis of characteristics adjusted for sex and age.


RESULTS
As expected, health examination results and medical costs were related to sex and age. After adjustment for these factors, medical costs were found to be significantly higher in all test categories among individuals with known risk factors, when compared to individuals without such risk factors. Medical costs were approximately four times higher for persons with four risk factors (21,889 points) than for persons with none (5,234 points) (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
It was shown that an analysis of the relationship between health examination results and medical costs can be applied to better target health guidance and to identify high-priority cases.
Toho University, School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Takefumi
T
Kitazawa
Hiroyuki
H
Sakamaki
Takashi
T
Muto
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D010808:Physical Examination