title: Utilization and cost of behavioral health services: employee characteristics and workplace health promotion.
abstract: The study sought to (1) model demographic and employment-related influences on behavioral health care utilization and cost; (2) model behavioral health care utilization and cost influences on general health care cost, job performance, and earnings; and (3) assess workplace-based health promotion's impact on these factors. Behavioral health care utilization was more common in employees who were female, over age 30, with below-median earnings, or with above-median general (non-behavioral) health care costs. Among employees utilizing behavioral health care, related costs were higher for employees with below-median earnings. Employees utilizing behavioral health care had higher general health care costs and received lower performance ratings than other employees. Health promotion participants were compared with a nonparticipant random sample matched on gender, age, and pre-intervention behavioral health care utilization. Among employees without pre-intervention behavioral health care, participants and nonparticipants did not differ in post-intervention utilization. Among employees utilizing behavioral health care adjusting for pre-intervention costs, participants had higher short-term post-intervention behavioral health care costs than nonparticipants.
authors.affiliation: ISA Associates, 201 N Union Street, Suite 330, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA. jtrudeau@isagroup.com
authors.forename: James V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Trudeau
authors.forename: Diane K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Deitz
authors.forename: Royer F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017049:Employer Health Costs; D005260:Female; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015144:Southeastern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy