Workplace health programs pay dividends

ATLANTA, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- U.S. employers who invest in health programs at the workplace can see a return of $3 to $6 for each dollar invested over a two- to five-year period.

Dyann Matson Koffman of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta examined 19 studies of workplace health programs to find out what kinds of programs work to prevent and control heart disease.

"In most cases, the lost productivity costs associated with these conditions were higher than the medical costs, particularly among adults with multiple risk factors," Matson Koffman said.

For example, Fieldale Farms, a Georgia poultry company, began spending 2.5 percent of its healthcare budget on a health promotion program in 1992 and after 12 years, the average healthcare cost per employee was $3,052 -- less than half the national average of $6,900.

Medical screenings, company-wide changes such as healthier food in the cafeteria, "frequent and simple" prevention messages delivered to employees and regular health education classes can all contribute to better employee health, said Matson Koffman.

The findings are published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.