ORIGINAL PAPER
Protecting and promoting mental health of nurses in the hospital setting:
Is it cost-effective from an employer’s perspective?
| 1 |
Trimbos Institute (Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction), Utrecht, the Netherlands
(Department of Public Mental Health) |
| 2 |
Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
(Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI School of Public Health and Primary Care) |
| 3 |
Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
(Coronel Institute of Occupational Health) |
| 4 |
VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
(Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research) |
| 5 |
VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
(Department of Clinical Psychology, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research) |
Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2015;28(5):891–900
KEYWORDS:
TOPICS:
ABSTRACT:
Objectives: Nurses are at elevated risk of burnout, anxiety and depressive disorders, and may then become less productive. This begs the question if a preventive intervention in the work setting might be cost-saving from a business perspective. Material and Methods: A
cost-benefit analysis was conducted to evaluate the
balance between the
costs of a
preventive
intervention among nurses at elevated risk of mental health complaints and the
cost offsets stemming from improved productivity. This evaluation was conducted alongside a
cluster-randomized trial in a
Dutch academic hospital. The
control
condition consisted of screening without feedback and unrestricted access to usual care
(N
=
206). In the
experimental condition screen-positive nurses received personalized feedback and referral to the
occupational physician
(N
=
207). Results: Subtracting intervention costs from the
cost offsets due to reduced absenteeism and presenteeism resulted in net-savings
of
244
euros per nurse when only absenteeism is regarded, and
651
euros when presenteeism is also taken into account. This
corresponds to a
return-on-investment of
5
euros up to
11
euros for every euro invested. Conclusions: Within half a
year,
the
cost of offering the
preventive intervention was more than recouped. Offering the
preventive intervention represents
a
favorable business case as seen from the
employer’s perspective.
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:
Cindy Noben 
Maastricht University, Department of Health Services Research, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands
