title: A cost analysis of a physical activity intervention for older adults.
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.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California-San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Erik J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Groessl
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Steven N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: W Jack
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Rejeski
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Katula
authors.forename: Abby C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Roger A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Fielding
authors.forename: Nancy W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Glynn
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pahor
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003376:Counseling / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology