RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a comprehensive workplace wellness program on the prevalence and severity of musculoskeletal disorders in a Canadian government department. METHODS: The Healthy LifeWorks program was developed, implemented, and evaluated over a 4-year period. A total of 233 employees completed the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire before and after the program to determine the prevalence and severity of musculoskeletal disorders. RESULTS: There was an approximately 10% decrease in the 12-month prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, ranging from 4% for hip/thigh problems to 12% for lower and upper back problems. The proportion of people reporting that a musculoskeletal disorder interfered with their normal work during the past 12 months decreased from 83% to 46%. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive wellness, including educational sessions on posture, ergonomics, and joint health, results in improved musculoskeletal health.
Assuntos
Órgãos Governamentais , Educação em Saúde , Promoção da Saúde , Dor Musculoesquelética/epidemiologia , Saúde Ocupacional , Braço , Ergonomia , Quadril , Humanos , Dor Lombar/epidemiologia , Nova Escócia/epidemiologia , Postura , Prevalência , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Inquéritos e Questionários , Coxa da PernaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between health risks and absenteeism and drug costs vis-a-vis comprehensive workplace wellness. METHODS: Eleven health risks, and change in drug claims, short-term and general illness calculated across four risk change groups. Wellness score examined using Wilcoxon test and regression model for cost change. RESULTS: The results showed 31% at risk; 9 of 11 risks associated with higher drug costs. Employees moving from low to high risk showed highest relative increase (81%) in drug costs; moving from high to low had lowest (24%). Low-high had highest increase in absenteeism costs (160%). With each risk increase, absenteeism costs increased by $CDN248 per year (P < 0.05) with average decrease of 0.07 risk factors and savings $CDN6979 per year. CONCLUSIONS: Both high-risk reduction and low-risk maintenance are important to contain drug costs. Only low-risk maintenance also avoids absenteeism costs associated with high risks.
