Cost-effectiveness of yoga for managing musculoskeletal conditions in the workplace
Open accessAbstract
Background: Back pain and musculoskeletal conditions negatively affect the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of employees and generate substantial costs to employers. Aims: To assess the cost-effectiveness of yoga for managing musculoskeletal conditions. Methods: A randomized controlled trial evaluated an 8-week yoga programme, with a 6-month follow-up, for National Health Service (NHS) employees. Effectiveness in managing musculoskeletal conditions was assessed using repeated-measures generalized linear modelling for the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) and the Keele STarT Back Screening Tool. Cost-effectiveness was determined using area-under-the-curve linear regression for assessing HRQL from healthcare and societal perspectives. The incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) was also calculated. Sickness absence was measured using electronic staff records at 6 months. Results: There were 151 participants. At 6 months, mean differences between groups favouring yoga were observed for RDQ [-0.63 (95% CI, -1.78, 0.48)], Keele STarT [-0.28 (95% CI, -0.97, 0.07)] and HRQL (0.016 QALY gain). From a healthcare perspective, yoga yielded an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £2103 per QALY. Given a willingness to pay for an additional QALY of £20 000, the probability of yoga being cost-effective was 95%. From a societal perspective, yoga was the dominant treatment compared with usual care. At 6 months, electronic staff records showed that yoga participants missed a total of 2 working days due to musculoskeletal conditions compared with 43 days for usual care participants. Conclusions: Yoga for NHS employees may enhance HRQL, reduce disability associated with back pain, lower sickness absence due to musculoskeletal conditions and is likely to be cost-effective.
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Four different research articles have been included that analyzed distinct cost-effectiveness parameters; however, these studies included different parameters, so no analysis of these factors was performed.
“In this review, four different research articles (Hartfiel et al., 2017; Singh et al., 2016, 2020; van Dongen et al., 2016) have been included that analyzed distinct cost-effectiveness parameters. However, these studies included different parameters, so that no analysis of these factors was performed.”
From Mindfulness-Based and Mindfulness-Informed Interventions at the Workplace: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis of RCTs (2023) · cites this paper as Hartfiel et al., 2017
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Michaelsen, M. M., Graser, J., Onescheit, M., Tuma, M. P., Werdecker, L., Pieper, D., & Esch, T. (2023) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-023-02130-7 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
“In this review, four different research articles (Hartfiel et al., 2017; Singh et al., 2016, 2020; van Dongen et al., 2016) have been included that analyzed distinct cost-effectiveness parameters.”
- Authors
- Hartfiel, N., Clarke, G., Havenhand, J., Phillips, C., & Edwards, R. T.
- Affiliations
- Bangor University (GB)
- University of Gothenburg (SE)
- Swansea University (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Hartfiel, N
- Venue
- Occupational Medicine
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2017-11-30
- Volume
- 67
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 687-695
- ISSN
- 0962-7480 (ISSN-L)
- 1471-8405
- PMC
- PMC5927122
- OpenAlex
- W2772755776
- Cited by
- 53
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 3
- FWCI
- 1.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Occupational Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Cronfa (Swansea University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Bangor University Research Portal (Bangor University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Medical Practices and Rehabilitation
- Keywords
- yoga, musculoskeletal disorders, back pain, cost-effectiveness, health-related quality of life, sick leave, NHS staff, occupational health interventions, disability, quality-adjusted life years
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Musculoskeletal Diseases, Psychometrics, Surveys and Questionnaires, State Medicine, Yoga, Linear Models, Workplace, Quality-Adjusted Life Years
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