Excess direct medical costs of severe obesity by socioeconomic status in German adults

Objective: Excess direct medical costs of severe obesity are by far higher than of moderate obesity. At the same time, severely obese adults with low socioeconomic status (SES) may be expected to have higher excess costs than those with higher SES, e.g. due to more comorbidities. This study compares excess costs of severe obesity among German adults across different SES groups

Juvenile obesity and its association with utilisation and costs of pharmaceuticals - results from the KiGGS study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>According to a national reference, 15% of German children and adolescents are overweight (including obese) and 6.3% are obese. An earlier study analysed the impact of childhood overweight and obesity on different components of direct medical costs (physician, hospital and therapists). To complement the existing literature for Germany, this study aims to explore the association of body mass index (BMI) with utilisation of pharmaceuticals and related costs in German children and adolescents.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Based on data from 14, 836 respondents aged 3-17 years in the German Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS), drug intake and associated costs were estimated using a bottom-up approach. To investigate the association of BMI with utilisation and costs, univariate analyses and multivariate generalised mixed models were conducted.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was no significant difference between BMI groups regarding the probability of drug utilisation. However, the number of pharmaceuticals used was significantly higher (14%) for obese children than for normal weight children. Furthermore, there was a trend for more physician-prescribed medication in obese children and adolescents. Among children with pharmaceutical intake, estimated costs were 24% higher for obese children compared with the normal weight group.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This is the first study to estimate excess drug costs for obesity based on a representative cross-sectional sample of the child and adolescent population in Germany. The results suggest that obese children should be classified as a priority group for prevention. This study complements the existing literature and provides important information concerning the relevance of childhood obesity as a health problem.</p

Personal factors associated with health-related quality of life in persons with morbid obesity on treatment waiting lists in Norway

Purpose To explore relationships of socio-demographic variables, health behaviours, environmental characteristics and personal factors, with physical and mental health variables in persons with morbid obesity, and to compare their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scores with scores from the general population. Methods A cross-sectional correlation study design was used. Data were collected by self-reported questionnaire from adult patients within the first 2 days of commencement of a mandatory educational course. Of 185 course attendees, 142 (76.8%) volunteered to participate in the study. Valid responses on all items were recorded for 128 participants. HRQoL was measured with the Short Form 12v2 from which physical (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores were computed. Other standardized instruments measured regular physical activity, social support, self-esteem, sense of coherence, self-efficacy and coping style. Results Respondents scored lower on all the HRQoL subdomains compared with norms. Linear regression analyses showed that personal factors that included self-esteem, self-efficacy, sense of coherence and coping style explained 3.6% of the variance in PCS scores and 41.6% in MCS scores. Conclusion Personal factors such as self-esteem, sense of coherence and a high approaching coping style are strongly related to mental health in obese persons

Ambulante Versorgungsnutzung adip&ouml;ser Erwachsener: psychisch bedingt?

Die Annahme des Gesundheitswesens, Menschen n&auml;hmen nur dann gesundheitsbezogene Versorgung in Anspruch, wenn sie krank sind, stimmt so nicht. Dies gilt auch f&uuml;r die Adipositas, zumal sie als Krankheit sui generis umstritten ist. Der Autor entwickelt ein verhaltensepidemiologisches Inanspruchnahmemodell, das fr&uuml;here Ans&auml;tze um psychische Einfl&uuml;sse erweitert. Daten der Kooperativen Gesundheitsforschung in der Region Augsburg zeigen, dass die bei adip&ouml;sen Erwachsenen erh&ouml;hte Inanspruchnahme von Allgemein&auml;rzten, Physiotherapie und Heilpraktikern weder durch Gef&uuml;hle der Verstehbarkeit, Bedeutsamkeit und Handhabbarkeit des eigenen Lebens noch durch &Uuml;berzeugungen erkl&auml;rt wird, die eigene Gesundheit sei Folge von Selbstverantwortlichkeit, Selbstverschulden, einflussreichen Anderen oder Zufall. Dagegen erkl&auml;rt Unzufriedenheit mit dem eigenen K&ouml;rpergewicht die erh&ouml;hte Inanspruchnahme von Physiotherapie und Heilpraktikern. Dies legt nahe, dass adip&ouml;se Erwachsene zum Arzt gehen, weil sie krank sind, zu nicht&auml;rztlichen Versorgern jedoch wegen negativem K&ouml;rperbild. Die Arbeit unterstreicht die Rolle biopsychosozialer Analysen von Inanspruchnahme