Collection 8 
Health Promotion, Medical Cost Containment & Productivity Enhancement

The American Journal of Health Promotion Collection 8 includes six articles:

The Effect of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion on Workplace Productivity: A Literature Review 
John E. Riedel, Catherine Baase, Pamela Hymel, Wendy Lynch, Marsha McCabe, William R. Mercer, Kent W. Peterson 
[From the January/February 2001 Issue] 
This report was prepared by the Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in the Institute for Health and Productivity Management as part of an effort to improve understanding of the connection between employee health and performance. An additional objective was to begin to identify new strategies through which treating health as an investment in human capital can lead to greater business success.

Projecting Future Medical Care Costs Using Four Scenarios of Lifestyle Risk Rates 
Joseph A Leutzinger, Ronald J. Ozminkowski, Rodney L. Dunn, Ron Z. Goetzel, Dennis E. Richling, Maureen Stewart, R. William Whitmer 
[From the September/October 2000 Issue] 
This study predicts medical care expenditures over 10 years for the Union Pacific Railroad, using four alternative health risk factor scenarios for the UPRR workforce. Development of an economic forecasting model is described. This process (estimating various risk and cost scenarios) is key to program planning and can provide economic justification for worksite health programs.

The Relationship Between Modifiable Health Risks and Group-level Health Care Expenditures 
David R. Anderson, R. William Whitmer, Ron Z. Goetzel, Ronald J. Ozminkowski, Jeffrey Wasserman, Seth Serxner
[From the September/October 2000 Issue] 
In this study, the relationship between 11 modifiable risk factors and group level medical costs were examined for 46,026 employees in six companies. The risk factors evaluated were stress, current or former smoking, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, nutrition, depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, alcohol use, and blood glucose. The study demonstrated that modifiable risk factors contribute substantially to overall health care expenditures.

A Review and Analysis of the Clinical- and Cost-Effectiveness Studies of Comprehensive Health Promotion and Disease Management Programs at the Worksite: 1998-2000 
Kenneth R. Pelletier 
[From the November/December 2001 Issue] 
This article is the fifth in a series of critical reviews of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness studies of comprehensive, multifactorial health promotion and disease management programs conducted in worksites. Fifteen studies are included in this review.

Differences in Health Care Costs and Utilization Among Adults With Selected Lifestyle-related Risk Factors 
Larry A. Tucker, Alan G. Clegg 
[From the March/April 2002 Issue] 
This study examines the relationship between lifestyle-related health risks and health care costs and utilization in adults. 982 employed young-adult subjects were followed for a two year period. Results indicate that health risks are significant predictors of health care costs and utilization.

Health and Productivity Management: Emerging Opportunities for Health Promotion Professionals for the 21st Century 
Ron Z. Goetzel, Ronald J. Ozminkowski 
[From the March/April 2000 Issue] 
The authors recognize the emergence of health and productivity management as an important stage in the evolution of workplace health promotion. They describe how health promotion professionals should take the lead in redirecting their employers' efforts to work together.