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Cited by 44Workplace Health and Well-beingHealth Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of LifeMental Health Treatment and Access

Economic analyses of mental health and substance use interventions in the workplace: a systematic literature review and narrative synthesis

de Oliveira, Claire, Cho, Edward, Kavelaars, RuthAnne, Jamieson, Margaret, Bao, Buddy, Rehm, Jürgen·2020·The Lancet Psychiatry
DOI 10.1016/s2215-0366(20)30145-0
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Abstract

Mental illness and substance use disorders in the workplace have been increasingly recognised as a problem in most countries; however, evidence is scarce on which solutions provide the highest return on investment. We searched academic and grey literature databases and additional sources for studies that included a workplace intervention for mental health or substance abuse, or both, and that did an economic analysis. We analysed the papers we found to identify the highest yielding and most cost-effective interventions by disorder. On the basis of 56 studies, we found moderate strength of evidence that cognitive behavioural therapy is cost-saving (and in some cases cost-effective) to address depression. We observed strong evidence that regular and active involvement of occupational health professionals is cost-saving and cost-effective in reducing sick leave related to mental health and in encouraging return to work. We identified moderate evidence that coverage for pharmacotherapy and brief counselling for smoking cessation are both cost-saving and cost-effective. Addressing mental health and substance misuse in the workplace improves workers' wellbeing and productivity, and benefits employers' bottom line (ie, profit). Future economic analyses would benefit from the consideration of subgroup analyses, examination of longer follow-ups, inclusion of statistical and sensitivity analyses and discussion around uncertainty, and consideration of potential for bias.

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  • There is a growing evidence base on the depression prevention effects of parental interventions in the perinatal period.

    “There is also a growing evidence base on the depression prevention effects of parental interventions in the perinatal period. These are designed to promote healthy parenting and family bonding, and include 417,418 social programs addressing depressive symptoms;”

    From Time for united action on depression: a Lancet–World Psychiatric Association Commission (2022) · cites this paper as [417]

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Authors
de Oliveira, C., Cho, E., Kavelaars, R., Jamieson, M., Bao, B., & Rehm, J.
Affiliations
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CA)
ORCID
Venue
The Lancet Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-10
Volume
7
Issue
10
Pages
893-910
ISSN
2215-0366 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s2215-0366(20)30145-0
OpenAlex
W3085560334
Cited by
44
References
85
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 5
FWCI
1.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • The Lancet Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
Funders
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Workplace Health and Well-being
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
Keywords
workplace mental health interventions, substance use disorders, cost-effectiveness, return on investment, cognitive behavioral therapy, depression, occupational health professionals, sick leave, return to work, smoking cessation, pharmacotherapy, brief counseling, employee well-being, productivity
MeSH terms
Cost-Benefit Analysis, Economics, Medical, Humans, Mental Health, Occupational Health Services, Occupational Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Workplace, Sick Leave, Substance-Related Disorders

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