INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study is to determine if the Washoe County School District Wellness Program impacted employee health care costs and rates of absenteeism over a 2-year period. METHODS: Outcome variables included health care costs and absenteeism during 2001-2002. Data were collected on 6246 employees over a 6-year period from 1997-2002. Baseline health claims costs and absenteeism from 1997-2000, age, gender, job classification, and years worked at the school district were treated as covariates. Logistic regression was used to compare 2-year costs and absenteeism rates between nonparticipants and employees who participated for 1 and 2 years. RESULTS: No significant differences in health care costs were found between those who participated in any of the wellness programs and those who did not participate. There was a significant negative association between participation and absenteeism; program participants averaged three fewer missed workdays than those who did not participate in any wellness programs. The decrease in absenteeism translated into a cost savings of 15.60 US dollars for every dollar spent on the program. CONCLUSIONS: After controlling for several confounding variables, wellness program participation was associated with large reductions in employee absenteeism.
INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study is to determine if the Washoe County School District Wellness Program impacted employee health care costs and rates of absenteeism over a 2-year period. METHODS: Outcome variables included health care costs and absenteeism during 2001-2002. Data were collected on 6246 employees over a 6-year period from 1997-2002. Baseline health claims costs and absenteeism from 1997-2000, age, gender, job classification, and years worked at the school district were treated as covariates. Logistic regression was used to compare 2-year costs and absenteeism rates between nonparticipants and employees who participated for 1 and 2 years. RESULTS: No significant differences in health care costs were found between those who participated in any of the wellness programs and those who did not participate. There was a significant negative association between participation and absenteeism; program participants averaged three fewer missed workdays than those who did not participate in any wellness programs. The decrease in absenteeism translated into a cost savings of 15.60 US dollars for every dollar spent on the program. CONCLUSIONS: After controlling for several confounding variables, wellness program participation was associated with large reductions in employee absenteeism.
Authors: Stephen J Onufrak; Kathleen B Watson; Joel Kimmons; Liping Pan; Laura Kettel Khan; Seung Hee Lee-Kwan; Sohyun Park Journal: Am J Health Promot Date: 2016-09-04
Authors: Anne M Wolf; Mir S Siadaty; Jayne Q Crowther; Jerry L Nadler; Douglas L Wagner; Stephen L Cavalieri; Kurtis S Elward; Viktor E Bovbjerg Journal: J Occup Environ Med Date: 2009-02 Impact factor: 2.162
Authors: Stephenie C Lemon; Monica L Wang; Nicole M Wedick; Barbara Estabrook; Susan Druker; Kristin L Schneider; Wenjun Li; Lori Pbert Journal: Prev Med Date: 2013-12-15 Impact factor: 4.018
Authors: Julie A Schmittdiel; Susan D Brown; Romain Neugebauer; Sara R Adams; Alyce S Adams; Deanne Wiley; Assiamira Ferrara Journal: Prev Chronic Dis Date: 2013 Impact factor: 2.830