title: Impacts of Workplace Health Promotion and Wellness Programs on Health Care Utilization and Costs: Results From an Academic Workplace.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the impacts of a long-standing workplace health promotion (HP) program on health care utilization and costs and estimated return on investment (ROI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Analyses used a retrospective, observational cohort design based on 7 years (2005 to 2011) of health claims and HP program participation data for 3829 HP participants and 6617 controls. Inverse propensity score-weighted mixed-model regression methods were used to balance employee demographics and comorbidities by study arm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean monthly health care costs were $35 less for HP participants compared with controls, and results were robust based on sensitivity analyses. ROI was estimated to be $2.53 for every dollar spent on the HP program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results support a positive impact of HP program participation with regard to reduced health care utilization and costs and a positive ROI.
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Dr Dement, Dr Epling), Duke University Medical Center; Duke Occupational Health and Wellness (Ms Joyner); and Duke Human Resources (Mr Cavanaugh), Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dement
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Epling
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Joyner
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cavanaugh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009657:North Carolina; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D057216:Propensity Score; D012189:Retrospective Studies