Health And Economic Outcomes Up To Three Years After A Workplace Wellness Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Short-term economic evaluation of physical activity-based corporate health programs: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Corporate health programs (CHPs) aim to improve employees' health through health promotion strategies at the workplace. Physical activity (PA) plays a crucial role in primary prevention, leading many companies to implement PA-based CHPs. However, there is limited examination in the scientific literature on whether PA-based CHPs (PA-CHPs) lead to economic benefits. This systematic review aimed to summarize the available literature on the economic aspects of PA-CHPs.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted to identify studies focused on PA-CHPs targeting healthy sedentary workers and reporting at least one economic outcome, such as return on investment (ROI), costs, or sick leave.

RESULTS

Of 1036 studies identified by our search strategy, 11 studies involving 60 020 participants met the inclusion criteria. The mean (±SD) cost per capita for PA-CHPs was estimated as 359€ (±238€) (95% CI, 357-361€). In 75% of the studies, the net savings generated by PA-CHPs in 12 months were reported, with an average of 1095€ (±865€) (95% CI, 496-1690€). ROI was assessed in 50% of the included studies, with an average of 3.6 (±1.41) (95% CI, 2.19-5.01).

CONCLUSIONS

In addition to promoting a healthy lifestyle, PA-CHPs have the potential to generate significant economic returns. However, the heterogeneity among the existing studies highlights the need for standardization and accurate reporting of costs in future research.

Development of an Evidence-Based Employee Wellness Program

Workplaces can positively or negatively shape employee health and sense of well-being. Employees who feel well are more productive, engaged, and present at work. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic added to an already stressed work environment for educators. Student success is dependent on educators who are healthy and present. Employee wellness programs have the potential to improve the well-being of employees and now, more than ever, should be a priority in schools. The purpose of this article is to provide the school nurse with evidence-based resources to assist in the creation and implementation of an employee wellness program in the school setting.

Association of Intensive Lifestyle Intervention for Type 2 Diabetes With Labor Market Outcomes

Importance

An intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) has been shown to improve diabetes management and physical function. These benefits could lead to better labor market outcomes, but this has not been previously studied.

Objective

To estimate the association of an ILI for weight loss in type 2 diabetes with employment, earnings, and disability benefit receipt during and after the intervention.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study included participants with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity and compared an ILI with a control condition of diabetes support and education. Data for the original trial were accrued from August 22, 2001, to September 14, 2012. Trial data were linked with Social Security Administration records to investigate whether, relative to the control group, the ILI was associated with improvements in labor market outcomes during and after the intervention period. Difference-in-differences models estimating relative changes in employment, earnings, and disability benefit receipt between the ILI and control groups were used, accounting for prerandomization differences in outcomes for linked participants. Outcome data were analyzed from July 13, 2020, to May 17, 2023.

Exposure

The ILI consisted of sessions with lifestyle counselors, dieticians, exercise specialists, and behavioral therapists on a weekly basis in the first 6 months, decreasing to a monthly basis by the fourth year, designed to achieve and maintain at least 7% weight loss. The control group received group-based diabetes education sessions 3 times annually during the first 4 years, with 1 annual session thereafter.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Employment and receipt of federal disability benefits (Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance), earnings, and disability benefit payments from 1994 through 2018.

Results

A total of 3091 trial participants were linked with Social Security Administration data (60.1% of 5145 participants initially randomized and 97.0% of 3188 of participants consenting to linkage). Among the 3091 with fully linked data, 1836 (59.4%) were women, and mean (SD) age was 58.4 (6.5) years. Baseline clinical and demographic characteristics were similar between linked participants in the ILI and control groups. Employment increased by 2.9 (95% CI, 0.3-5.5) percentage points for the ILI group relative to controls (P = .03) with no significant relative change in disability benefit receipt (-0.9 [95% CI, -2.1 to 0.3] percentage points; P = .13).

Conclusions and Relevance

The findings of this cohort study suggest that an ILI to prevent the progression and complications of type 2 diabetes was associated with higher levels of employment. Labor market productivity should be considered when evaluating interventions to manage chronic diseases.

Protocol for a cluster randomised waitlist-controlled trial of a goal-based behaviour change intervention for employees in workplaces enrolled in health and wellbeing initiatives

Many workplaces offer health and wellbeing initiatives to their staff as recommended by international and national health organisations. Despite their potential, the influence of these initiatives on health behaviour appears limited and evaluations of their effectiveness are rare. In this research, we propose evaluating the effectiveness of an established behaviour change intervention in a new workplace context. The intervention, 'mental contrasting plus implementation intentions', supports staff in achieving their health and wellbeing goals by encouraging them to compare the future with the present and to develop a plan for overcoming anticipated obstacles. We conducted a systematic review that identified only three trials of this intervention in workplaces and all of them were conducted within healthcare organisations. Our research will be the first to evaluate the effectiveness of mental contrasting outside a solely healthcare context. We propose including staff from 60 organisations, 30 in the intervention and 30 in a waitlisted control group. The findings will contribute to a better understanding of how to empower and support staff to improve their health and wellbeing. Trial registration: ISRCTN17828539.

The Business Case for Reducing Firearm Injuries

This Viewpoint argues for US businesses to get involved in the battle against gun violence to ensure employees’ health and wellness and reduce employers’ health insurance costs.

Cardiovascular disease prevention in the worksite: Where are we?

The current guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology on cardiovascular (CV) disease prevention highlighted the importance of implementing coordinated set of action, including worksite, aimed at eliminating or minimizing the impact of CV disease and their related disabilities. Workplace wellness programs tend to focus on modifiable risk factors of non-communicable disease, such as nutrition, physical activity, and smoking cessation. However, nowadays, corporate wellness programs are still rare and incomplete, and usually received limited attention. This represents a big public health issue since company health and wellness interventions may provide an important opportunity to identify and manage CV risk. Given the increasing of employees' average age, a progressive shifting of retirement age and an increased number of chronic diseases, these preventive programs will increasingly represent key factors of both employee's health and economic strategies of companies in the near future.