Archives of Public Health

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2021): Archives of Public Health
Public Health

Assessment of health and economic benefits of walking in the Republic of North Macedonia using Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT)

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  • Jansun Bukovetz,
  • Kristina Shuntova,
  • Igor Spiroski,
  • Shaban Memeti
Jansun Bukovetz
Institute of Public Health of the Republic of North Macedonia; Ss Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Faculty of Medicine, Republic of North Macedonia
Kristina Shuntova
Ss Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Faculty of Medicine, Republic of North Macedonia
Igor Spiroski
Institute of Public Health of the Republic of North Macedonia; Ss Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Faculty of Medicine, Republic of North Macedonia
Shaban Memeti
Institute of Public Health of the Republic of North Macedonia; Ss Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Faculty of Medicine, Republic of North Macedonia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3889/aph.2021.6010

Published 2021-11-20

Keywords

  • HEAT,
  • walking,
  • Republic of North Macedonia

How to Cite

1.
Bukovetz J, Shuntova K, Spiroski I, Memeti S. Assessment of health and economic benefits of walking in the Republic of North Macedonia using Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT). Arch Pub Health [Internet]. 2021 Nov. 20 [cited 2023 Sep. 28];13(2):17-29. Available from: https://www.id-press.eu/aph/article/view/6010

Copyright (c) 2021 Cansun Bukovec, Kristina Shuntova, Igor Spiroski, Shaban Memeti

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Walking as a form of physical activity has immense health benefits, but it also has economic benefits. Walking is a very efficient activity that prevents certain diseases and enables better quality of life of people who already have some disease.A considerable contribution of walking is detected in cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, obesity and chronic pulmonary diseases.The aim of this study was to make a health and economic assessment of the benefits of walking in the Republic of North Macedonia by using the Health and Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT).Materials and methods:Health Economic Assessment Tool is a relatively new tool, developed by WHO experts whose expertise is in the field of Public health and is able to calculate the health effects of regular walking and/or cycling. This study was based on using this tool for walking mode for the first time in the Republic of North Macedonia in a population group of 191 participants between the age of 20 to 73 years, with the average age of 35 years.Results:Besides the aforementioned health benefits, HEAT calculates the economic benefits of walking. The tool applied to 191 participants resulted in a total economic value of 108 808.8€ for one yearas well as reduction in mortality rate. Conclusion: We found that less than one fifth of our assessed population spends time in walking according to the WHO, CDC and AHA recommendations. The rest of them, more than four fifths are not following these recommendations. Our assessed population was relatively young, the average age being 35 years old, and the population was healthy, but still the results from this survey were not satisfying.

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