CDC Partner Releases Workplace Substance Abuse Guide

Substance abuse is common; the costs of substance abuse are high for employers. Of the 20 million adults classified as having problems with substance dependence or abuse in 2007, approximately 12 million (60 percent) were employed full time. Substance abuse is treatable, particularly when it is addressed as a chronic disease.

Substance abuse by employees results in the following:

• Higher healthcare expenses for injuries and illnesses.
• Higher rates of absenteeism.
• Reductions in job productivity and performance.
• Increased workers' compensation and disability claims.
• Safety and other risks for employers.
• Reduction and loss of institutional knowledge.

An Employer's Guide to Workplace Substance Abuse: Strategies and Treatment Recommendations developed by the National Business Group on Health (NGBH) helps employers understand addiction, the prevalence of substance abuse among working adults and the costs related to substance abuse. Reducing employee substance abuse can help employers improve productivity, reduce workplace injuries and decrease healthcare costs.

CDC's Partnership with NBGH

NBGH has been a business grantee and CDC partner since 1999.

NBGH members are primarily Fortune 500 companies and large public sector employers who provide health coverage for more than 50 million U.S. workers, retirees and their families. NBGH fosters the development of a safe, high-quality healthcare delivery system and treatments based on scientific evidence of effectiveness.

The organization works to expand the use of effective technologies and make scientific evidence of effectiveness the standard for care. In 2006, NBGH developed A Purchaser's Guide to Clinical Preventive Services: Moving Science into Coverage (Purchaser's Guide), in cooperation with CDC and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The organization has also developed a library of case studies that highlight innovative approaches to prevention, particularly related to worksite wellness programs and health benefits.

More Information

National Business Group on Health