Workplace Wellness: Comparison Reveals Least Expensive Smoking Cessation Method
San Diego, CA (PRWEB) December 06, 2013 -- In response to a new Ohio State University study estimating that a smoker costs their employer $5,816 more per year than a non-smoker, online coaching firm SelfHelpWorks made public a comparison of the costs and efficacy of ten recognized smoking cessation methods. According to the data the most cost-effective quit smoking method is the LivingFree digital (online) smoking cessation course.
"We initially did the comparison of smoking cessation treatments for our own internal purposes," said SelfHelpWorks founder and CEO, Lou Ryan. "But the Ohio State study is a real eye-opener so we thought the comparison might prove valuable for employers looking to optimize their workplace wellness program’s quit smoking component in an effort to improve ROI."
The Ohio State study, recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Tobacco Control, provides a more comprehensive understanding of the additional annual cost of employing a smoker than previous studies. Among the additional cost components are an estimated $2,056 for healthcare, $3,077 for lost productivity due to unsanctioned smoke breaks, $517 for excess absenteeism and $462 for ‘presenteeism’ (lower on-the-job productivity resulting from nicotine addiction).
The SelfHelpWorks comparison of smoking cessation methods was compiled using data primarily from a 2010 Penn State University study. The comparison shows the price, success rate and cost per successful intervention of ten recognized smoking cessation interventions including nicotine replacement therapy, several quit-smoking drugs, counseling, telephonic coaching and online coaching. According to the data the most cost-effective quit smoking method is the LivingFree digital (online) smoking cessation course.
"I think that all employers and smokers should review the Penn State study," commented Ryan, "Because it cuts through the marketing hype and shows the actual cost per successful intervention. Quit-smoking treatments are typically very expensive and people have no idea that most of them have less than a 10 percent success rate. By comparison, random trials conducted by UC San Diego and San Diego State University documented the efficacy rate of LivingFree, the online smoking cessation course offered by SelfHelpWorks, at 38 percent – almost four times higher. And it costs only a fraction of the other interventions – yet another instance showing the power of the Internet."
The Ohio State University and Penn State University studies are available on the Internet. A copy of the SelfHelpWorks cost comparison summary may be obtained directly from the company upon request.
About SelfHelpWorks, Inc.
SelfHelpWorks delivers evidence-based digital health coaching courses designed to produce permanent results in areas such as weight loss, exercise, alcohol management, tobacco cessation and stress management. Whereas other online coaching courses typically provide education, SelfHelpWorks' time-tested Structured Cognitive Behavioral Training approach produces genuine transformation. Since 1979 SelfHelpWorks founder Lou Ryan’s courses and process have been licensed by insurance companies, government agencies, major hospitals and corporations nationwide. Now, thanks to modern technology, all of the SelfHelpWorks courses are delivered conveniently and affordably via the Internet so that virtually anyone can take advantage of them.
Bryan Noar, SelfHelpWorks, http://www.selfhelpworks.com, 619-296-6001 Ext: 248, [email protected]
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