Workplace programs, policies, and environmental supports to prevent cardiovascular disease

16Citations
Citations of this article
63Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

Using a novel approach, we provide a preliminary "snapshot" of how the comprehensiveness of workplace cardiovascular health initiatives is related to measures of employees' health risks, disease prevalence, and medical expenditures. We linked scores for the twenty large organizations that voluntarily completed the American Heart Association's newly launched Worksite Health Achievement Index (WHAI) for 2015 to individual-level MarketScan® data for 373,478 of their workers with employer benefits that year. Higher aggregate WHAI scores were associated with lower values for four of seven modifiable indicators of cardiovascular risk and a higher value for one. Although also associated with lower prevalence of cardiovascular disease, higher aggregate scores were associated with higher spending on the condition. These and other findings provide useful benchmarks and norms for employer practices related to cardiovascular disease prevention. As employers continue to complete the annual WHAI, we expect to gain further insights into the policies, programs, and environmental supports employers can implement to positively influence cardiovascular health and related spending.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Goetzel, R. Z., Henke, R. M., Head, M. A., Benevent, R., & Calitz, C. (2017). Workplace programs, policies, and environmental supports to prevent cardiovascular disease. Health Affairs, 36(2), 229–236. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2016.1273

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free