Health care expenditures of overweight and obese U.S. adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. (April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Henan; Fujiura, Glenn; Magaña, Sandra; Parish, Susan
• Is Part Of: Research in developmental disabilities. Volume 75(2018)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 10
• Publication Date: 2018-04
• Subjects: Intellectual disability -- Developmental disability -- Obesity -- Overweight -- Health care expenditures; Developmental disabilities -- Periodicals; Developmentally disabled -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals; Developmentally disabled children -- Education -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals; Developmental Disabilities -- Periodicals; Disabled -- Periodicals; Mental Retardation -- rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Personnes atteintes de troubles du développement -- Recherche -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; Enfants atteints de troubles du développement -- Éducation -- Recherche -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; Développement, Troubles du -- Recherche -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; 616.858800
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2018.01.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0891-4222

Abstract

Highlights: Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities have higher obesity rates. Obesity is associated with higher health care costs. Using national survey data, this study first to report obesity's costs impact. Being obese was associated with an estimated $2516 in mean expenditures and $1200 in median expenditures. Addressing obesity is important to community and residential settings alike. Abstract: Background: U.S. adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have poorer health status and greater risks for being overweight and obese, which are major drivers of health care expenditures in the general population. Health care expenditures and IDD have not been studied using nationally representative samples, and the impact of overweight and obesity have not been examined. Aim: Using nationally representative data, we aimed to compare the health care expenditures of not-overweight, overweight and obese U.S. adults with IDD, and calculate model-adjusted expenditures. Methods and procedures: Pooled data from the 2002–2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey linked to National Health Interview Survey (n = 1224) were analyzed. Two-part model regressions were conducted, with covariates being year of survey, age, sex, race/ethnicity, household income status, geographical region, urban/rural, marital status, insurance coverage, perceived health status, and perceived mental health status. Outcomes and results: Overall, obese adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities had higher expenditures than their non-obese peers. Being obese was associated with an estimated additional $2516 in mean expenditures and $1200 in median expenditures compared with the reference group, who were neither overweight nor obese. Conclusions and implications: Obesity is an important predictor of higher health care costs among community-living adults with IDD Finding effective strategies and interventions to address obesity in this population has great financial and policy significance.