High-cost analysis. A closer look at the case for work-site health promotion.
Studies linking medical costs to behavioral risk and risk-lowering often use means for comparisons, although claims data are highly skewed. The result overestimates and obscures the case for work-site health promotion. In this study, high-cost analysis is illustrated in a sample of university employees. Five risk factors were examined: cholesterol, blood pressure, cardiovascular fitness, body fat, and smoking status. Screened employees who released their claims (n = 367) were examined against a random sample of employees (n = 587). Linear regression was used to determine the risk of having high claims costs within four gender-specific age groups. A formula was then applied to determine that more than 43% of the cost of medical claims was associated with elevated risk. High-cost analysis accounts for the skewness in claims data and presents a clear case for work-site health promotion.
Kingery
P M
PM
Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40506-0219.
Ellsworth
C G
CG
Corbett
B S
BS
Bowden
R G
RG
Brizzolara
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000191:economics*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D013781:Texas; D014495:Universities; D017132:Workplace