EFFECTS OF WORK-SITE HEALTH PROMOTION ON ILLNESS-RELATED ABSENTEEISM

This study examined the effects of work-site health promotion on emplo yee absenteeism. Thirty-two work sites were randomized to programs for weight control and smoking cessation or to no treatment for 2 years. The prevalence of self-reported absences from work was assessed at bas eline and follow-up. Results using work site as the unit of analysis s howed a net reduction in the percent of workers reporting a sick day i n the last month in treatment versus control work sites of 3.7% (P = . 04) and 3.4% (P = .06) in cross-sectional and cohort analysis, respect ively. Further analyses found that the rate of participation in smokin g (P = .09) but not weight programs (P = .72) was positively associate d with change in sick day prevalence and that this effect was stronges t in baseline smokers (P = .002). It is concluded that work-site smoki ng cessation programs may yield important short-term economic benefits by reducing employee absenteeism.