2008 Volume 3

One hundred and thirteen million Americans use the internet to search for medical advice according to the Pew Internet & American Life 2006 survey. Eighty percent of these Internet users say they've turned to the Internet to search for health information at some point. This number can be expected to rise as the number of individuals with Internet access grows and seeking instant answers becomes a ubiquitous part of American life.

The information these users seek spans a wide range of health topics. Large percentages of Americans look for online information on specific diseases and treatments, prescriptions and over the counter drugs, and nutrition and fitness. Whether it be specific medical problems such as atherosclerosis or general diet tips, evidence indicates that Americans see the Internet as an encyclopedia of medical advice and expertise. These findings are true across all age and education demographics. Insta-Americans rely on the Internet for instantaneous health information.

The key takeaway from CMPI's research is that online health information seekers do not routinely question or verify the sources they access. This finding is supported by Susannah Fox's research at the Pew Internet and American Life Project (known as PIP): 75% of online health searchers sometimes, hardly ever or never check the source or date of online health information.

This oversight and lack of attention to a very important detail -- the legitimacy of the source -- can cause consumers to either adopt bad advice or abstain from taking on good advice. The results of this poor practice, CMPI warns, could fuel "a Precautionary Principle-based public health crisis."

Source: Center for Medicine in the Public Interest

Low Morale, Depression Trigger Multiple Impacts

Just as a lack of attention to workplace safety can cause physical injuries, lack of focus on the emotional demands and climate of an office can trigger costly behavioral health problems, which can lead to increased risk of other ailments and workplace hazards.

A 2005 study of employee unscheduled absences by CCH, a Chicago-based technical publisher, compared results from organizations with high and low employee morale. While the results weren’t surprising, the numbers were stark. For example, the unscheduled absence rate at the low-morale organizations was more than double (3.2 percent vs. 1.5 percent) that of the high-morale employers. Similarly, the survey found that absence related to stress and entitlement was about 30 percent higher at low-morale companies than high-morale ones.

In addition, stress and depression lead to longer durations for disability. An Aetna study found that disability durations can be as much as 100 percent longer when depression is a factor.

The good news: For most behavioral health problems, there are effective treatments, particularly when linked to a broader holistic employer strategy.

Source: Center for Medicine in the Public Interest

Did You Know?

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Four Out of Five Workers More Likely to Stay at Firm with Low Stress and Good Work/Life Balance

A study of nearly 1,000 companies in 22 countries has found that when employees are satisfied with stress levels and work/life balance, 86 percent are more inclined to stay with their company (versus 64 percent when dissatisfied) and 88 percent are more likely to recommend it as a place to work (versus 55 percent when dissatisfied).

While stress at work was perhaps a more scrutinized metric in Watson Wyatt Worldwide and WorldatWork's 2007/2008 Global Strategic Rewards study, the study notably found that work/life balance appeared in "top 5" lists of both employers' and employees' views of why the latter stay at or leave a job (no. 5/24 percent for employers and no. 5/22 percent for employees).

The inability for employers to help employees achieve a manageable work/life balance, along with other factors including the aforementioned stress levels as well as base pay, promotion/career development opportunities and relationship with supervisor/manager result in two-thirds of companies worldwide reporting difficulty attracting top-performing workers. The study also found that a full 70 percent of companies reported that they have difficulty attracting critical-skill employees.

Source: Waston Wyatt Worldwide

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