AN EVALUATION OF DUKE-UNIVERSITY LIVE-FOR-LIFE HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAM ON CHANGES IN WORKER ABSENTEEISM

The effect of an employer-sponsored health promotion program on worker absenteeism is examined over a 4-year period in a group of 4972 Duke University hourly employees. Program participants experienced an avera ge of 4.6 fewer absentee hours in the third year of program availabili ty than did nonparticipants, after controlling for baseline absenteeis m, gender, race, education, and age. These results suggest that employ er-sponsored health promotion initiatives can have a favorable influen ce on absenteeism.