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Multimorbidity and Health Care Service Utilization in the Australian Workforce
Objectives: The aim of this study was to understand the patterns of health care service utilization in employees with multimorbidity.
Methods: Data were obtained from the 2011 to 2012 cross-sectional Australian National Health Survey. Past-month health care service utilization was collected for each chronic condition from a pre-specified list. Descriptive, logistic, and Poisson regression analyses were used. The data were weighted to produce nationally representative estimates.
Results: Multimorbid employees with arthritis had higher adjusted arthritis-specific general practitioner (GP) visit rates [rate ratio (RR)¼ 1.7, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) ¼ 1.1 to 2.2, P < 0.001] than employees with arthritis alone. Similarly, multimorbid employees with cardiovascular disease (CVD) had higher adjusted CVDspecific specialist visit rates (RR ¼ 1.6, 95% CI ¼ 1.1 to 2.5, P < 0.05) and 2.5 times (95% CI ¼ 1.5 to 4.0, P < 0.001) more CVD-specific other health professional visits than employees with CVD alone.
Conclusions: Given the increasing number of employees managing work and chronic illnesses, these findings have implications for health services and employers.
History
Publication title
Journal of Occupational and Environmental MedicineVolume
59Issue
8Pagination
795-802ISSN
1076-2752Department/School
Menzies Institute for Medical ResearchPublisher
Lippincott Williams & WilkinsPlace of publication
United StatesRights statement
Copyright © 2017 American College of Occupational and Environmental MedicineRepository Status
- Restricted