bims-cieche 2025-06-01 papers

Issue of 2025–06–01
four papers selected by
Jonas Stefaan Steel, IDEWE

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 May 21. pii: 803. [Epub ahead of print]22(5):

Cost-Effectiveness of Strategies Addressing Environmental Noise: A Systematic Literature Review.

Nick Verhaeghe, Bo Vandenbulcke, Max Lelie, Lieven Annemans, Steven Simoens, Koen Putman.

Environmental noise, a significant public health concern, is associated with adverse health effects, including cardiovascular diseases, cognitive impairments, and psychological distress. Noise reduction strategies are essential for mitigating these effects. Despite evidence of their health benefits, limited information exists on the cost-effectiveness of such strategies to guide resource allocation. This study systematically reviewed economic evaluation studies of interventions aimed at reducing environmental noise to assess their cost-effectiveness and inform policymaking. A systematic review following PRISMA 2020 guidelines was conducted across MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Eligible studies were full economic evaluations addressing environmental noise reduction strategies, assessing both costs and health effects. Screening and data extraction were performed independently by two reviewers. Quality appraisal employed the CHEERS 2022 checklist. Narrative synthesis was used to analyze findings due to heterogeneity in study designs, methodologies, and outcomes. Costs were standardized to 2024 euros. From 2906 identified records, five studies met the inclusion criteria, primarily focused on traffic-related noise. Three studies conducted cost-utility analyses, and two employed cost-benefit analyses. Reported interventions included sound insulation, take-off trajectory adjustments, and noise barriers. Economic evaluations varied significantly in methodologies, cost categories, and health outcomes. The health economic studies yielded mixed results, ranging from findings that demonstrated cost-effectiveness to those where the costs exceeded the benefits. There are currently too few health economic evaluations to draw robust conclusions about the cost-effectiveness of environmental noise mitigation strategies. Future research should adopt standardized approaches and robust sensitivity analyses to enhance evidence quality, enabling informed policy and resource allocation decisions.

Keywords: cost-effectiveness; cost-utility; cost–benefit; environmental noise; systematic review

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22050803

J Occup Environ Med. 2025 May 28.

The impact of productivity loss from presenteeism and absenteeism on mental health in Japan.

Koji Hara, Tomohisa Nagata, Masaaki Matoba, Tomoyuki Miyazaki.

OBJECTIVE: Mental health issues among employees cause significant productivity losses through presenteeism and absenteeism. This study aimed to quantify productivity losses caused by employees with mental health issues in Japan.
METHODS: Participants were recruited to match the Japanese population distribution by gender, age, and region. Mental health status and productivity loss were assessed using self-administered questionnaires. The results were extrapolated to estimate nationwide impact calculated using probabilistic sensitivity analysis.
RESULTS: We analyzed 27,507 individuals. Productivity loss due to mental health-related presenteeism was estimated at $46.73 billion, and absenteeism at $1.85 billion, equivalent to 1.1% of Japan's GDP and over seven times the medical costs for mental disorders. Women in their 20s reported more mental health issues than men.
CONCLUSION: These results highlight the urgent need for businesses and governments to enhance workplace mental health measures.

Keywords: Japan; Mental health issues; absenteeism; presenteeism; probabilistic sensitivity analysis; productivity loss

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000003431

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 May 21. pii: 809. [Epub ahead of print]22(5):

Economic Evaluation of Proactive PTSI Mitigation Programs for Public Safety Personnel and Frontline Healthcare Professionals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Hadiseh Azadehyaei, Yue Zhang, Yan Song, Tania Gottschalk, Gregory S Anderson.

Public safety personnel and frontline healthcare professionals are at increased risk of exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs) and developing post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSIs, e.g., depression, anxiety) by the nature of their work. PTSI is also connected to increased absenteeism, suicidality, and performance decrements, which compromise occupational and public health and safety in trauma-exposed workers. There is limited evidence on the cost effectiveness of proactive "prevention" programs aimed at reducing the risk of PTSIs. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to measure the economic effectiveness of proactive PTSI mitigation programs among occupational groups exposed to frequent occupational PPTEs, focusing on the outcomes related to PTSI symptoms, absenteeism, and psychological wellness. Findings from 15 included studies demonstrate that proactive interventions can yield substantial economic and health benefits, with Return On Investment (ROI) values ranging widely from -20% to 3560%. Shorter interventions (≤6 months) often produced higher returns, while longer interventions (>12 months) showed more moderate or negative returns. Notably, the level at which an intervention is targeted significantly affects outcomes-programs aimed at managers, such as the 4 h RESPECT training course, demonstrated a high ROI and broad organizational impact by enhancing leadership support for employee mental health. Sensitivity analyses highlighted significant variability based on the organizational context, program design, and participant characteristics. The majority of proactive interventions successfully reduced psychological distress and enhanced workplace outcomes, although thoughtful consideration of program design and implementation context is essential.

Keywords: economic evaluation; healthcare professionals; public safety personnel; resilience training; return on investment

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22050809

J Mark Access Health Policy. 2025 Jun;13(2): 17

Workplace Vaccination Against COVID-19 and Seasonal Influenza in the United States: A Modeling-Based Estimation of the Health and Economic Benefits for Employers and Employees.

Ekkehard Beck, Keya Joshi, Darshan Mehta, Stephane Lorenc, Bishoy Rizkalla, Nicolas Van de Velde.

The objectives were to assess the economic burden of COVID-19 and impact of workplace COVID-19 vaccination in the United States (US). An economic model estimated COVID-19 workplace burden (infections, long COVID, inpatient/outpatient care, absent days) with and without vaccination, compared with seasonal influenza vaccination for context, using Optum's de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart Database. Without workplace vaccination, an average US business (with 10,000 employees), had 18,175 absent days from COVID-19 and lost productivity costs of USD 5.08 million. Implementing COVID-19 workplace vaccination (at 70% coverage) prevented approximately 3132 absent days, saving employers USD 876,453 (lost productivity) and USD 240,633 (medical costs); and saving employees USD 182,196 (medical costs) and USD 198,250 (lost wages) versus no COVID-19 workplace vaccination. The burden and vaccination impact were greater for COVID-19 versus seasonal influenza. Workplace vaccination for COVID-19 and seasonal influenza can have a significant impact for both the employer and employees through averted disease.

Keywords: COVID-19; United States; economic model; influenza; vaccination; workplace

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jmahp13020017