Primary health care utilisation and its costs among middle-aged smokers

Jaana Keto (), Hanna Ventola, Jari Jokelainen, Markku Timonen, Kari Linden, Tero Ylisaukko-oja, Sirkka Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi and Juha Auvinen
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Jaana Keto: University of Oulu
Hanna Ventola: Institute of Biomedicine, University of Helsinki
Jari Jokelainen: University of Oulu
Markku Timonen: University of Oulu
Kari Linden: Pfizer Oy
Tero Ylisaukko-oja: University of Oulu
Sirkka Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi: University of Oulu
Juha Auvinen: University of Oulu

The European Journal of Health Economics, 2017, vol. 18, issue 3, No 7, 360 pages

Abstract: Abstract Objective To study and compare the utilisation of primary health care services among 46-year-old current smokers, ex-smokers and never-smokers, and to estimate the corresponding costs. Methods This population-based cohort study is based on the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, which is a longitudinal research program in Finland’s two northernmost provinces. The study is based on data collected at the 46-year follow-up, during which a total of 4997 individuals completed questionnaires on their primary health care service utilisation. Primary health care covered visits to both occupational and public health care (typically community health centres). Results Current smokers visited primary health care professionals more often per year than never-smokers, regardless of gender (RR 1.24, 95 % confidence interval 1.10–1.43 for men; RR 1.10, 1.01–1.22 for women). When primary health care services were categorised based on the type of service provided, current smokers of both genders were more likely to visit a dentist (RR 1.56, 1.32–1.84 for men; RR 1.34, 1.15–1.55 for women) or a physician (RR 1.20, 1. 03–1.40 for men; RR 1.15, 1.02–1.30 for women) than their never-smoking counterparts (BMI adjusted for). For men, the total annual costs of primary health care visits were 28 % higher for current smokers versus never-smokers (P

Keywords: Smoking; Primary health care service utilisation; Visits to primary health care professionals; Costs of smoking; Ex-smokers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 I14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1007/s10198-016-0793-2

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