Significant Findings From Recent Health Promotion Literature

Author: David Reis, 847-818-5033

• Per the Journal of Occupational Medicine (May, 1994), several studies have documented that the top 1-2% of the total population with the highest medical expenditure usually incurs 15-30% of the total charge. The top 10-15% high-cost workers usually account for 70-90% of the cost.
• Per a 1994 University of Michigan study, high-risk employees who become low-risk decrease their medical insurance costs by an average of $618/year. Average medical costs for high-risk employees are 75% higher than for low-risk employees.
• A number of studies have shown that lifestyle accounts for approximately 50% of health status. According to the Journal of the AMA, the top three underlying causes of death, per a 1990 study, were tobacco, diet/inactivity, and alcohol. They accounted for 38% of deaths.
• Per the American College of Preventive Medicine, of 2.1 million U.S. deaths in 1990, 50% were preventable, yet prevention accounts for only 3-5% of the $900 billion spent on health care annually.
• Per a 1996 Hewitt Associates SpecBook study, 31% of employers surveyed offer health risk appraisals, and 37% have incentives/disincentives related to health promotion. The most common incentive (used by 70% of companies) is higher plan contributions for high risk individuals. While only 11% charge higher medical premiums to high risk individuals, 54% charge higher life insurance premiums. 10% of companies reduce coverage levels for high risk individuals.
• In a study sponsored by Wellness Program Management Advisor, 50% of companies offering health promotion programs found increased productivity and 47% saw a decline in absenteeism. 7 of 10 respondents (wellness professionals) also said that the wellness program improved employee morale.
• Per a Greenstone Healthcare Solutions analysis of ROI on the health promotion programs of 12 companies, the average company receives a $3.46 return for every dollar spent. The highest return reported was $6 for the General Motors Pontiac Division. The lowest return was $1.20 for Coors.
• Per the American Heart Association, it is estimated that 45% of cardiovascular disease deaths could be prevented with changes in lifestyle and behavior.
• Per Control Data Corporation, annual medical claims for smokers were 18% higher than for non-smokers and smokers spent 25% more days in the hospital. People with hypertension spent 25% more days in the hospital than those with normal blood pressure. Overweight people had medical claims that were 11% higher than people who were not.
• Per Dreyfuss HUNT, during the course of their employment, as many as 80% of all workers will be struck down by back pain. A recent Michigan State University showed that most people (72%) who receive treatment for a work-related back injury also receive treatment outside the workers’ compensation system. Furthermore, the people who received treatment only through the workers’ compensation system were those with the smallest cases, having an average total spending of $544. This compared to an average spending of $5,515 for the people who received treatment from multiple sources. Per a Metropolitan Life Insurance report, back pain is the third most frequent reason for having surgery, the leading cause of absenteeism among workers of all ages, the leading cause of work-related disability, and accounts for nearly 40% of all workers’ compensation costs.
• Per Dreyfuss HUNT, over half of all workers feel major stress at least once a week and 75% of all doctor visits involve stress-related complaints. Companies spend $1,925 on average rehabilitating each employee disabled by stress.
• Per Dreyfuss HUNT, repetitive stress injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome now account for 60% of all workplace injuries.
• Per the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, approximately 55% of all emergency room visits are for non-urgent problems and about 25% of all physician visits could have been treated at home.
• According to a 1989 RAND report, depression was not detected by primary care physicians in 40-50% of cases. According to 1995 Foster Higgins data, mental health and substance abuse are 4% of total health care spending for the average employer. Per DeGrande & Assoc., only 1 of 3 clinically depressed people seek treatment, but 80% of those who do are treated effectively. An NIMH study reported that 37% of alcoholics also suffer from some type of mental illness.

A new report from Harvard University (Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention) suggests that a full 50% of cancer cases are preventable. While cigarette smoking causes about 30% of all cancer deaths—obesity, poor nutrition, and lack of exercise are responsible for 35% of cancer cases. Only about 5-10% of cancer cases can be attributed to single, inherited gene defects.