Back/neck pain
Reduce absenteeism and costs related
Reduce absenteeism and costs related
to chronic back or neck pain
Resources
Disease Profile:
Back/Neck Pain
Four out of five adults experience at least one bout of back or neck pain during their lifetime. In fact, low back pain is the fifth leading cause of physician visits in the United States.
The top three causes of back or neck pain are:
- Lack of strength and stimulation in the back
or neck muscles from a sedentary lifestyle - Poor body mechanics or alignment when
moving the body - Injury or trauma
Usually associated with jobs involving heavy labor, back or neck pain is also linked to “desk” jobs, unmanaged stress and sedentary lifestyles. Obesity, which increases weight on the spine and pressure on the discs, is another important factor.
Employers report that back injuries are the leading cause of work-related disability. Although back pain is rarely life threatening, its annual cost in terms of lost productivity, medical expenses and workers' compensation benefits runs into the tens of billions of dollars in the United States.
High-touch intervention
The Focused Health Program is designed to help adults (18 years and older) better manage their back or neck pain. They work closely with their nurse manager (back/neck specialists) to reduce the severity and frequency of pain episodes, improve posture and remain active in their daily schedules.
Results
Over time, enrollees report having:
- More day-to-day control over their pain
- More productive exercise to minimize pain
- Enhanced knowledge about their condition and medications
- Reduced absences at work and improved on-the-job performance
- Fewer pain-related physician visits, ER visits and hospital stays
Data excerpted from the Mayo Clinic and the National Institutes of Health.