Prescribing Smartphone Apps for Physical Activity Promotion in Primary Care: Modeling Study of Health Gain and Cost Savings
BackgroundInadequate physical activity is a substantial cause of health loss worldwide, and this loss is attributable to diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and certain forms of cancer. ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the potential impact...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| Online Access: | https://www.jmir.org/2021/12/e31702 |
| _version_ | 1797735493647990784 |
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| author | Leah Grout Kendra Telfer Nick Wilson Christine Cleghorn Anja Mizdrak |
| author_facet | Leah Grout Kendra Telfer Nick Wilson Christine Cleghorn Anja Mizdrak |
| author_sort | Leah Grout |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundInadequate physical activity is a substantial cause of health loss worldwide, and this loss is attributable to diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and certain forms of cancer.
ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the potential impact of the prescription of smartphone apps in primary care settings on physical activity levels, health gains (in quality-adjusted life years [QALYs]), and health system costs in New Zealand (NZ).
MethodsA proportional multistate lifetable model was used to estimate the change in physical activity levels and predict the resultant health gains in QALYs and health system costs over the remaining life span of the NZ population alive in 2011 at a 3% discount rate.
ResultsThe modeled intervention resulted in an estimated 430 QALYs gained (95% uncertainty interval 320-550), with net cost savings of 2011 NZ $2.2 million (2011 US $1.5 million) over the remaining life span of the 2011 NZ population. On a per capita basis, QALY gains were generally larger in women than in men and larger in Māori than in non-Māori. The health impact and cost-effectiveness of the intervention were highly sensitive to assumptions on intervention uptake and decay. For example, the scenario analysis with the largest benefits, which assumed a 5-year maintenance of additional physical activity levels, delivered 1750 QALYs and 2011 NZ $22.5 million (2011 US $15.1 million) in cost savings.
ConclusionsThe prescription of smartphone apps for promoting physical activity in primary care settings is likely to generate modest health gains and cost savings at the population level in this high-income country. Such gains may increase with ongoing improvements in app design and increased health worker promotion of the apps to patients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:59:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bd79aca78b8b4aa6934ce370c4347a83 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1438-8871 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:59:49Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-bd79aca78b8b4aa6934ce370c4347a832023-08-28T20:03:07ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Medical Internet Research1438-88712021-12-012312e3170210.2196/31702Prescribing Smartphone Apps for Physical Activity Promotion in Primary Care: Modeling Study of Health Gain and Cost SavingsLeah Grouthttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4427-7314Kendra Telferhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8771-9779Nick Wilsonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5118-0676Christine Cleghornhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1206-5189Anja Mizdrakhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2897-3002 BackgroundInadequate physical activity is a substantial cause of health loss worldwide, and this loss is attributable to diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and certain forms of cancer. ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the potential impact of the prescription of smartphone apps in primary care settings on physical activity levels, health gains (in quality-adjusted life years [QALYs]), and health system costs in New Zealand (NZ). MethodsA proportional multistate lifetable model was used to estimate the change in physical activity levels and predict the resultant health gains in QALYs and health system costs over the remaining life span of the NZ population alive in 2011 at a 3% discount rate. ResultsThe modeled intervention resulted in an estimated 430 QALYs gained (95% uncertainty interval 320-550), with net cost savings of 2011 NZ $2.2 million (2011 US $1.5 million) over the remaining life span of the 2011 NZ population. On a per capita basis, QALY gains were generally larger in women than in men and larger in Māori than in non-Māori. The health impact and cost-effectiveness of the intervention were highly sensitive to assumptions on intervention uptake and decay. For example, the scenario analysis with the largest benefits, which assumed a 5-year maintenance of additional physical activity levels, delivered 1750 QALYs and 2011 NZ $22.5 million (2011 US $15.1 million) in cost savings. ConclusionsThe prescription of smartphone apps for promoting physical activity in primary care settings is likely to generate modest health gains and cost savings at the population level in this high-income country. Such gains may increase with ongoing improvements in app design and increased health worker promotion of the apps to patients.https://www.jmir.org/2021/12/e31702 |
| spellingShingle | Leah Grout Kendra Telfer Nick Wilson Christine Cleghorn Anja Mizdrak Prescribing Smartphone Apps for Physical Activity Promotion in Primary Care: Modeling Study of Health Gain and Cost Savings Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| title | Prescribing Smartphone Apps for Physical Activity Promotion in Primary Care: Modeling Study of Health Gain and Cost Savings |
| title_full | Prescribing Smartphone Apps for Physical Activity Promotion in Primary Care: Modeling Study of Health Gain and Cost Savings |
| title_fullStr | Prescribing Smartphone Apps for Physical Activity Promotion in Primary Care: Modeling Study of Health Gain and Cost Savings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prescribing Smartphone Apps for Physical Activity Promotion in Primary Care: Modeling Study of Health Gain and Cost Savings |
| title_short | Prescribing Smartphone Apps for Physical Activity Promotion in Primary Care: Modeling Study of Health Gain and Cost Savings |
| title_sort | prescribing smartphone apps for physical activity promotion in primary care modeling study of health gain and cost savings |
| url | https://www.jmir.org/2021/12/e31702 |
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