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Physician Consultations According to Different BMI Levels of the Greek General Population

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Listed:
  • Evelina Pappa

    (Hellenic Open University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Riga Fereou 169 & Tsamadou, Patras 26222, Greece)

  • Nick Kontodimopoulos

    (Hellenic Open University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Riga Fereou 169 & Tsamadou, Patras 26222, Greece)

  • Angelos A. Papadopoulos

    (Hellenic Open University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Riga Fereou 169 & Tsamadou, Patras 26222, Greece
    “ATTIKON” University Hospital, Rimini 1, Athens 124 62, Greece)

  • Yannis Tountas

    (Center for Health Services Research, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Medical School, Athens University, Alexandroupoleos 25, Athens 115 27, Greece)

  • Dimitris Niakas

    (Hellenic Open University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Riga Fereou 169 & Tsamadou, Patras 26222, Greece)

Abstract

Obesity constitutes a global epidemic which is rapidly becoming a major public health problem in many parts of the world, threatening peoples’ health and quality of life. The aim of our study was to estimate the prevalence and impact of overweight and obesity on physician consultations and frequency of use and furthermore, to investigate whether physician consultations in each of the groups defined by BMI level correspond to the need for care implied by health risk level, using logistic regression models. The survey was carried out in Greece in 2006 and involved complete data from 645 individuals consulted by physicians. Overweight and obese users constituted 41.7% and 19% of the sample respectively. The findings showed firstly that the odds of obese individuals visiting a physician (OR 2.15) or making more than three visits (OR 2.12) was doubled compared to the odds of individuals with normal weight. Secondly, we conclude that physician consultations in overweight and obese subgroups as well as the frequency of visits were predicted by factors such as co-morbidities, low HRQL, low educational level which are associated directly or indirectly with obesity, and thus with a greater health need, assuming vertical equity in the utilization of such services.

Suggested Citation

  • Evelina Pappa & Nick Kontodimopoulos & Angelos A. Papadopoulos & Yannis Tountas & Dimitris Niakas, 2011. "Physician Consultations According to Different BMI Levels of the Greek General Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-12, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:8:y:2011:i:11:p:4300-4311:d:14795
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marc Saez & Carme Saurina & Germà Coenders & Sònia González‐Raya, 2006. "Use of primary health care services according to the different degrees of obesity in the Girona Health Region, Spain," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(2), pages 173-193, February.
    2. Sobal, Jeffery & Rauschenbach, Barbara & Frongillo, Edward A., 2003. "Marital status changes and body weight changes: a US longitudinal analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(7), pages 1543-1555, April.
    3. Evelina Pappa & Nick Kontodimopoulos & Angelos Papadopoulos & Dimitris Niakas, 2009. "Assessing the socio-economic and demographic impact on health-related quality of life: evidence from Greece," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 54(4), pages 241-249, August.
    4. Manios, Yannis & Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B. & Pitsavos, Christos & Polychronopoulos, Evangelos & Stefanadis, Christodoulos, 2005. "Implication of socio-economic status on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Greek adults: the ATTICA study," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(2), pages 224-232, October.
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