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Cost analysis of an exercise program for older women with respect to social welfare and healthcare costs: a pilot study
Author(s) -
Timonen L.,
Rantanen T.,
Mäkinen E.,
Timonen T.E.,
Törmäkangas T.,
Sulkava R.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2007.00752.x
Subject(s) - mood , health care , medicine , welfare , physical therapy , intervention (counseling) , gerontology , physical fitness , nursing , psychiatry , political science , law , economics , economic growth
The aim of this study was to analyze social welfare and healthcare costs and fall‐related healthcare costs after a group‐based exercise program. The 10‐week exercise program, which started after discharge from the hospital, was designed to improve physical fitness, mood, and functional abilities in frail elderly women. Sixty‐eight acutely hospitalized and mobility‐impaired women (mean age 83.0, SD 3.9 years) were randomized into either group‐based (intervention) or home exercise (control) groups. Information on costs was collected during 1 year after hospital discharge. There were no differences between the intervention and control groups in the mean individual healthcare costs: 4381€ (SD 3829€) vs 3539€ (SD 3967€), P =0.477, in the social welfare costs: 3336€ (SD 4418€) vs 4073€ (SD 5973€), P =0.770, or in the fall‐related healthcare costs: 996€ (SD 2612€) vs 306€ (SD 915), P =0.314, respectively. This exercise intervention, which has earlier proved to be effective in improving physical fitness and mood, did not result in any financial savings in municipal costs. These results serve as a pilot study and further studies are needed to establish the cost‐effectiveness of this exercise intervention for elderly people.