Interrelationship between arterial hypertension, health service costs, therapeutic treatment and physical activity

Lionai Lima Dos Santos; Jamile Sanches Codogno; Bruna Camilo Turi-Lynch; Monique Yndawe Castanho Araujo; Romulo Araujo Fernandes; Grace Angelica de Oliveira Gomes; Shirley Crankson; Nana Anokye

doi:10.1186/s12875-023-02120-7

Interrelationship between arterial hypertension, health service costs, therapeutic treatment and physical activity

BMC Prim Care. 2023 Aug 25;24(1):164. doi: 10.1186/s12875-023-02120-7.

Authors

Lionai Lima Dos Santos¹, Jamile Sanches Codogno¹, Bruna Camilo Turi-Lynch², Monique Yndawe Castanho Araujo¹, Romulo Araujo Fernandes¹, Grace Angelica de Oliveira Gomes³, Shirley Crankson⁴, Nana Anokye⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physical Education, São Paulo State University - UNESP, Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil.
² Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science, Lander University, 320 Stanley Avenue, 29649, Greenwood, SC, USA.
³ Department of Gerontology, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, UK.
⁵ Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, UK. Nana.Anokye@brunel.ac.uk.

Abstract

Background: Arterial hypertension is a high prevalence disease that increase healthcare costs and affects physical activity level. This study aimed to analyse the interrelationship between arterial hypertension, health service costs, therapeutic treatment, and physical activity in patients with cardiovascular diseases.

Method: Cross-sectional study that evaluated 306 patients from a hospital in Presidente Prudente-Brazil. Based on their medical diagnosis, they were classified into multiple groups to access primary care and hospital-related costs variations. Then, using data from medical records and face to face interviews, they were examined on their treatment adherence and physical activity practice. Healthcare costs were accessed using medical records. Finally, the generalised linear model was used to analyse the interrelationship between treatment adherence, physical activity, health care costs and arterial hypertension. The data were analysed with Stata/MP4 16, and a p-value of less than 5% was used to determine statistical significance.

Results: The group that adhered to the arterial hypertension treatments but were physically inactive presented higher costs with consultation (US$=24.1, 95%CI = 1.90;46,3) medication (US$=56.60, 95%CI = 1.65; 111.5) and total primary health care costs (US$=71.60, 95%CI = 19.2; 123.9) even after adjusting for confounding variables, meanwhile those participants that adhered to the treatments and were physical active did not present difference in healthcare cost when compared to normotensive and physical active participants.

Conclusion: To be adherent to hypertension treatment were related to higher health care costs meanwhile been physical activity were related to lower health care costs and the combination of both showed that be adherent and physical activity represent the same cost with health than those normotensive and active emphasizing the importance of adherence and physical activity in the hypertensive treatment.

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Health expenditures; Physical exercise; Treatment adherence.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cross-Sectional Studies
Exercise
Health Care Costs
Health Services*
Humans
Hypertension* / epidemiology
Hypertension* / therapy