ORIGINAL PAPER
Protecting and promoting mental health of nurses in the hospital setting:
Is it cost-effective from an employer’s perspective?
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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)
Corresponding author
Cindy Noben
Maastricht University, Department of Health Services Research, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands
Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2015;28(5):891-900
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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.