Effect of Physical Activity on Drug Expenditures for the Physical and Mental Health of Primary Care Users.

More physically active individuals spent significantly less on total medications compared to less active individuals.

• Active individuals spent on average USD 34.83 less on all medications compared to less active individuals
• Average total medication expenditure was USD 6.33 (95% CI: -206.64 to -31.02)
• Study used Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to control for confounding in this observational setting
• Data collected from 250 users of both sexes, aged over 40 years, across seven primary healthcare units

More physically active individuals spent significantly less on psychotropic drugs compared to less active individuals.

• Active individuals spent on average USD 4.34 less on psychotropics compared to less active individuals
• Average psychotropic medication expenditure was USD 0.63 (95% CI: -217.75 to -11.87)
• Psychotropic drug expenditure was examined as a secondary objective specifically related to mental health

The study used Propensity Score Matching (PSM) in a cross-sectional design with a retrospective component to evaluate the effect of habitual physical activity on medication expenditures.

• PSM was described as 'a robust and widely utilized method in studies evaluating the impact of public policies, particularly in observational data settings where randomization is infeasible'
• Medication expenditures and habitual physical activity data referred to the past 12 months
• Sample consisted of 250 primary healthcare users from a large Brazilian city
• Participants were of both sexes, aged over 40 years, recruited across seven primary healthcare units