[Impact of level of physical activity on healthcare utilization among Korean adults].
OBJECTIVE
This study was done to identify the impact of physical activity on healthcare utilization among Korean adults.


METHODS
Drawing from the 2008 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES IV-2), data from 6,521 adults who completed the Health Interview and Health Behavior Surveys were analyzed. Association between physical activity and healthcare utilization was tested using the χ²-test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratios of using outpatient and inpatient healthcare for different levels of physical activity after adjusting for predisposing, enabling, and need factors. A generalized linear model applying a negative binomial distribution was used to determine how the level of physical activity was related to use of outpatient and inpatient healthcare.


RESULTS
Physically active participants were 16% less likely to use outpatient healthcare (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.74-0.97) and 23% less likely to use inpatient healthcare (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63-0.93) than physically inactive participants. Levels of outpatient and inpatient healthcare use decreased as levels of physical activity increased, after adjusting for relevant factors.


CONCLUSIONS
An independent association between being physically active and lower healthcare utilization was ascertained among Korean adults indicating a need to develop nursing intervention programs that encourage regular physical activity.
Department of Nursing, Gachon University, Seongnam, Korea.
Jiyun
J
Kim
Seungmi
S
Park
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D016017:Odds Ratio; D056910:Republic of Korea; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult