Dr. Adams
09-27-2007, 03:11 PM
"A new study found that a program of telephone depression screening, vigorous outreach, and care management of depressed workers not only improved clinical outcomes but also improved workplace outcomes of job retention, sickness absence, and work productivity.
People who received the intervention were about 40% more likely to recover from depression, and they also were about 70% more likely to be working (retaining employment) at the end of the 12-month intervention period. Among those who were working, employees in the intervention group worked on average about 2 more hours per week than those who were in the usual-care study arm," he added.
Studies estimate that the US economy loses tens of billions of dollars each year due to employee depression, mainly through lost productivity. Organized depression screening and enhanced care programs have been shown to significantly improve outcomes.
Measurements of depression severity were lower in the intervention group than in the usual-care group. Patients in the intervention group were more likely than those in the usual-care group to recover from depression and to retain their jobs.
It's important for clinicians to treat patients with depression adequately, because not only does this improve clinical outcomes, it also improves patients' ability to work, which is a very important component of people's lives.
While formal estimates of cost-effectiveness are pending, it appears to be in the business interests of many employers to implement such programs to protect their investments in the retention and productivity of workers they have hired and trained."
JAMA. 2007;298:1401-1411 Abstract,1451-1452.
People who received the intervention were about 40% more likely to recover from depression, and they also were about 70% more likely to be working (retaining employment) at the end of the 12-month intervention period. Among those who were working, employees in the intervention group worked on average about 2 more hours per week than those who were in the usual-care study arm," he added.
Studies estimate that the US economy loses tens of billions of dollars each year due to employee depression, mainly through lost productivity. Organized depression screening and enhanced care programs have been shown to significantly improve outcomes.
Measurements of depression severity were lower in the intervention group than in the usual-care group. Patients in the intervention group were more likely than those in the usual-care group to recover from depression and to retain their jobs.
It's important for clinicians to treat patients with depression adequately, because not only does this improve clinical outcomes, it also improves patients' ability to work, which is a very important component of people's lives.
While formal estimates of cost-effectiveness are pending, it appears to be in the business interests of many employers to implement such programs to protect their investments in the retention and productivity of workers they have hired and trained."
JAMA. 2007;298:1401-1411 Abstract,1451-1452.