In a strategic partnership with a manufacturing company specializing in engineered plastics, The Walsh Group conducted an evaluation of the effects of workplace-applied substance abuse prevention and early intervention strategies on managed care programs. Determinations were made to see if these programs could reduce or prevent substance abuse and associated health care costs. The company employs approximately 1500 people in nine manufacturing sites located in seven states throughout the country. Intensive drug testing and drug abuse prevention education (which included seminars and printed educational material) were two elements of workplace drug prevention used with this experimental group. The control group did not receive these interventions. Human resource, health care utilization and accident rate data have been collected continuously for two years prior to these interventions and for one year following introduction of these interventions. Survey data were collected before drug testing and educational interventions and near the termination of the experimental intervention.
This presentation will examine the impact of increased drug testing and prevention education interventions on medical expenditures, accident rates, and attitude change among the employee workforce. Data will be presented from a return-on-investment perspective, contrasting the cost of the drug testing and education programs to associated savings in medical or substance abuse expenditures or dollars saved by reducing accidents. Based on survey comparisons, attitude change data will focus on employee perception of harm caused by drug and alcohol abuse as well as the behavioral and lifestyle changes initiated during the experimental period.
Learning Objectives: N/A
Keywords: Drug Test, Prevention
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.