Ana P. Nunes’s research while affiliated with Omni-ID and other places

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Publications (4)


For each study condition (EAP and comparison), Fig. 1 displays the number of employees who were eligible for participation, enrolled into the study, completed a baseline survey, and authorized release of timecard data, matched via the propensity score analysis
Predicted sick hours by condition (obtained from model coefficients for logged sick hours in Table 3 when pretest hours and survey date take their mean value)
The Effect of Employee Assistance Services on Reductions in Employee Absenteeism
  • Article
  • Publisher preview available

December 2018

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2,440 Reads

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35 Citations

Ana P. Nunes

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Melissa K. Richmond

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Randi C. Wood

Personal and work-related stressors experienced by employees can result in substantial costs to employers in the form of employee absenteeism. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) provide an important vehicle to assist employees with behavioral health issues, personal concerns, and work-related problems that impact employee absenteeism. This study tested the impact of EAPs on reducing employee absenteeism utilizing a well-matched control group and human resource timecard data. The study recruited employees from 20 areas of state government and used a prospective, quasi-experimental design with propensity score matching. EAP (n = 145) users were matched to non-EAP (n = 145) users on baseline demographic, psychosocial, and work-related characteristics that differentiate the groups. Hours of sick time recorded were provided by human resource offices. Differences in sick leave usage were tested using mixed model repeated measures. A steeper decline in sick leave usage for EAP than non-EAP employees was found, with estimates of 4.8 to 6.5% fewer hours lost per month to illness. Further analysis found that EAP services were most effective in helping clients move from moderate to low levels of sick leave rather than in reducing sick leave for those experiencing chronic absenteeism. Research on the effectiveness of EAPs rarely utilizes well-matched control groups and frequently relies on self-reported outcomes. Using an objective measure of work time lost, this study provides empirical evidence that users of EAP services tend to reduce their absenteeism at a faster pace than non-EAP users experiencing similar challenges to maintaining productivity.

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Ten Years of Implementing SBIRT: Lessons Learned

August 2017

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60 Reads

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15 Citations

Substance Abuse

Ana P. Nunes

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Melissa K. Richmond

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Kelly Marzano

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[...]

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Jodi Lockhart

The US Surgeon General recently issued a comprehensive report indicating that substance use is a major public health concern that must be addressed using a number of strategies. Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is one such strategy. SBIRT Colorado funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has implemented a state-wide initiative for the past ten years which has provided ample opportunities to identify key components for successful implementation. Successful implementation requires: 1) strong clinical and management advocates, 2) full integration of services into practices' workflow utilizing technology whenever possible, 3) inter-professional team approaches, 4) appropriate options for the small proportion of patients screening positive for a possible substance use disorder, 5) Cannabis screening that accounts for legalization, and interventions that acknowledge differences between alcohol and cannabis use, 6) incorporating SBIRT into standard healthcare professionals' training, and 7) addressing the significant issues regarding reimbursement through private and public payers for SBIRT services. Implementing and sustaining SBI as a standard of integrated care is essential to reduce the burden of substance use. Interdisciplinary approaches, technology, and training to increase practitioner confidence and skill are fundamental.


Impact of Employee Assistance Services on Depression, Anxiety, and Risky Alcohol Use: A Quasi-Experimental Study

July 2016

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334 Reads

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45 Citations

Journal of occupational and environmental medicine / American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Objective: To test the impact of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) on reducing employee depression, anxiety, and risky alcohol use, and whether improvements in clinical symptoms lead to improved work outcomes. Methods: The study used a prospective, quasi-experimental design with propensity score matching. Participants (n = 344) came from 20 areas of state government. EAP (n = 156) and non-EAP (n = 188) employees were matched on baseline demographic, psychosocial, and work-related characteristics that differentiate EAP from non-EAP users. Follow-up surveys were collected 2 to 12 months later (M = 6.0). Results: EAP significantly reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, but not at-risk alcohol use. EAP reductions in depression and anxiety mediated EAP-based reductions in absenteeism and presenteeism. Conclusions: EAPs provide easy-to-access work-based services that are effective at improving employee mental health.


The Impact of Employee Assistance Services on Workplace Outcomes: Results of a Prospective, Quasi-Experimental Study

December 2015

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1,563 Reads

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67 Citations

Journal of Occupational Health Psychology

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are widely used to help employees experiencing personal or work-related difficulties that impact work productivity. However, rigorous research on the effectiveness of programs to improve work-related outcomes is lacking. The current study represents a major advance in EAP research by using a prospective, quasi-experimental design with a large and diverse employee base. Using propensity scores calculated from demographic, social, work-related, and psychological variables collected on baseline surveys, we matched 156 employees receiving EAP to 188 non-EAP employees. Follow-up surveys were collected from 2 to 12 months post-baseline (M = 6.0). At follow-up, EAP employees had significantly greater reductions in absenteeism (b = -.596, p = .001) and presenteeism (b = -.217, p = .038), but not workplace distress (b = -.079, p = .448), than did non-EAP employees. Tests of moderation of baseline alcohol use, depression, anxiety, and productivity indicate that for the most part, the program works equally well for all groups. However, EAP did more to reduce absenteeism for those who began with lower severity of depression and anxiety at baseline. Results provide the scientific rigor needed to demonstrate EAP impact on improved work outcomes. In the first study of its kind, findings confirm the value of EAPs to help employees address personal and work-related concerns that are affecting job performance. (PsycINFO Database Record

Citations (4)


... Organizational support and resources for employee health can enhance work performance, decrease costs and contribute to improved engagement and productivity (Attridge et al., 2021;Nunes et al., 2018). Our study's findings should be interpreted in consideration of the following limitations. ...

Reference:

A comparison of work characteristics and health status between Korean and US hospital nurses
The Effect of Employee Assistance Services on Reductions in Employee Absenteeism

... The baseline assessment included questions designed to assess problems associated with cannabis use, severity, and frequency. These areas are also explored in brief interventions, which aim to increase awareness and motivation for change (63,64). Similar strategies and tools are also included in the workbook to support self-assessment and reflection. ...

Ten Years of Implementing SBIRT: Lessons Learned
  • Citing Article
  • August 2017

Substance Abuse

... In a systematic review of 17 studies evaluating the effectiveness of EAPs, Joseph et al. found that utilising EAPs lead to enhanced employee outcomes, specifically improving levels of employee presenteeism, productivity and psychosocial functioning [12]. The use of EAPs have also been shown to improve employee mental health, with a number of studies worldwide reporting reduced levels of employee depression, anxiety, and stress following EAP service utilisation by employees [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Additionally, several studies have further demonstrated that merely providing employees access to an effective EAP can significantly reduce turnover intention, whilst promoting employee retention and organisational commitment [21,22]. ...

Impact of Employee Assistance Services on Depression, Anxiety, and Risky Alcohol Use: A Quasi-Experimental Study
  • Citing Article
  • July 2016

Journal of occupational and environmental medicine / American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

... Employee assistance programs (EAPs) have a long history of workplace-based attempts to reduce the influence and impact of personal and work-related issues on job performance (Richmond, et al. 2017). EAPs offer counselling, consulting, and holistic wellbeing services (Kirk & Brown, 2003), focusing on the prevention and remediation of personal problems (Chellam & Divya, 2022). ...

The Impact of Employee Assistance Services on Workplace Outcomes: Results of a Prospective, Quasi-Experimental Study

Journal of Occupational Health Psychology