Abstract 19252: Ideal Cardiovascular Health and Employee Productivity

Abstract

Introduction: The AHA has defined ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) as the simultaneous presence of 4 optimal health behaviors (not smoking, eating a healthy diet, meeting physical activity goals, and maintaining a healthy weight) and 3 optimal health factors (lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol). An association between ideal CVH and employee productivity has not yet been established. Objectives: In this study, we sought to investigate whether employees with high CVH are more productive than employees with moderate or low CVH. Methods: In fiscal year 2015, an academic medical center offered health risk appraisal surveys (HRAs) to its 6,500 employees. Completion rates have been >90% to date (n=6,144). Ideal, intermediate, and poor levels for each of the 7 components listed above were calculated from HRA responses according to standard AHA definitions and assigned values of 2, 1, and 0 respectively. An overall CVH score was calculated for each respondent from the sum of individual component scores with a range of 0-14 (low 0-7 points, moderate 8-10, and high 11-14). Productivity was measured by responses related to missed work days due to illness (absenteeism) and days employees came to work but did not feel at their best (presenteeism). In this cross-sectional analysis, we used logistic regression to compare productivity responses between employees with high, moderate, and low CVH adjusting for race and sex (age was unavailable due to employee privacy concerns). Results: Overall, 35% of employees were in high CVH, 58% moderate, and 6% low. The odds of missing at least one workday due to illness during a two-week period were 67% lower among employees with high CVH compared to employees with low CVH (adjusted OR 0.33; 95% CI, 0.20-0.56). The odds of reporting that physical or emotional health problems made it difficult to concentrate on work at least half the time were 85% lower among employees with high CVH compared with low CVH (adjusted OR 0.15; 95% CI, 0.07-0.33). Conclusions: Self-reported higher CVH was strongly associated with better employee productivity as measured by fewer sick days and better concentration at work. These results support the notion that helping employees stay healthy may represent a valuable near-term strategy for employers.