Assessing the relationship between compliance with antidepressant therapy and employer costs among employees in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
To assess effects of antidepressant treatment compliance on health care and workplace costs.


METHODS
By using workplace survey data linked to two employers' health care claims, employees with depression/antidepressant claims were categorized into noncompliant/compliant groups. Annualized costs were compared between compliance groups, for the employees with antidepressant use and a subset diagnosed with depression.


RESULTS
Among antidepressant users (N = 1224), medical costs were not statistically different for compliant versus noncompliant patients; drug costs were higher for compliant patients, primarily because of antidepressants' costs. Similar associations were observed among depressed patients (N = 488). Absenteeism costs were lower for compliant patients with antidepressant use ($3857 vs $4,907, P = 0.041) and among depressed patients ($3976 vs $5899, P = 0.047). Presenteeism costs were higher for depressed compliant patients ($19,170 vs $15,829, P = 0.011).


CONCLUSIONS
Increased compliance with antidepressants is significantly associated with reduced absenteeism costs.
Birnbaum
Howard G
HG
Analysis Group, Inc, 111Huntington Avenue 10th floor, Boston, MA 02199, USA. hbirnbaum@analysisgroup.com
Ben-Hamadi
Rym
R
Kelley
David
D
Hsieh
Matthew
M
Seal
Brian
B
Kantor
Evan
E
Cremieux
Pierre Y
PY
Greenberg
Paul E
PE
D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017049:Employer Health Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
D000928:Antidepressive Agents