Skip directly to search Skip directly to A to Z list Skip directly to navigation Skip directly to page options Skip directly to site content

Health Outcomes | Alcohol & Substance Misuse Evaluation Measures

Health outcomes measures for alcohol and substance misuse1-5

The effectiveness of alcohol and substance misuse programs depends on the intensity of program effort and the use of multiple interventions. A rule of thumb is that the more programs implemented together as a package or campaign, the more successful the interventions will be.

Baseline

  • Determine levels of employee self-report of excess alcohol consumption or substance misuse from employee health survey or health risk appraisal. 
    • The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism uses the following definition of excess alcohol use: 
      • “Alcohol misuse” is excess daily consumption (more than 4 drinks per day for men or more than 3 drinks per day for women), or excess total consumption (more than 14 drinks per week for men or more than 7 drinks per week for women), or both
  • Determine baseline percentage of employees who have a mental health condition that may be co-occurring with misuse, such as depression or manic-depressive disorder
  • Determine levels of diagnostic and treatment procedures for alcohol and substance misuse from health care and pharmaceutical claims data
  • Determine employee knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about alcohol and substance misuse◦Evaluate employees’ current knowledge of the health risks and threats related to alcohol and substance misuse
    • Assess employee awareness of existing workplace alcohol and substance misuse programs, policies and benefits

Process

  • Periodic repeats of baseline measures

Outcome

  • Assess changes in the percentage of employees who report excess alcohol consumption or substance misuse
  • Determine changes in levels of diagnostic and treatment procedures related to alcohol and substance misuse from health care and pharmaceutical claims data
  • Assess changes in employee knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about alcohol and substance misuse 
    • Measure changes in employee knowledge of alcohol and substance misuse health risks and threats
    • Assess changes in employee awareness of existing workplace alcohol and substance misuse programs, policies, and benefits

References

1.  Campbell KP, Lanza A, Dixon R, Chattopadhyay S, Molinari N, Finch RA, editors. A Purchaser’s Guide to Clinical Preventive Services: Moving Science into Coverage. Washington, DC: National Business Group on Health; 2006.

2.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Framework for program evaluation in public health. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1999;48(No. RR-11): 1-40.

3.  Goetzel RZ, Ozminkowski RJ. Program evaluation. In: O’Donnell MP, editor. Health promotion in the workplace, 3rd edition. Albany, NY: Delmar Thomson Learning; 2002. p 116-165.

4.  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [Internet]. Washington, DC: [cited 2009 Nov 19]. Drug-Free Workplace Kit: Evaluate the Program: [about 4 screens]. 

5.  National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Helping patients who drink too much: a clinician’s guide, updated 2005 edition. Rockville: National Institutes of Health; 2005 [cited 2008 Dec 5]. Available from: http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov [PDF – 473K]

Get Email Updates

To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address:

What’s this?Submit
TOP