Fewer employees are placing a high priority on managing and improving their health, according to a recent Towers Watson survey of more than 9,000 large- and mid-size employees.

"As employees cope with a period of high financial and personal stress, the focus on improving health has taken a back seat," says Jeff Levin-Scherz, a physician and senior health care consultant at Towers Watson. "Chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, are the No. 1 driver of health care costs, and employers are increasingly committed to offering programs that can empower employees to manage their health and prevent the risks that lead to these diseases.

"Our findings reveal that this strategy faces an uphill battle in the current economic environment, but we believe employers that creatively use incentives to more fully engage employees in wellness efforts have a head start on their competitors."

Employers with well-devised strategies for health care delivery and vendor partnerships are fighting this by encouraging employees to proactively manage their own health, Levin-Scherz says. Research also reveals employers with high-deductible health plans typically do more to support a health management and drive engagement, which makes employees more likely to participate in wellness programs.

Over the past two years, there has been a drop in employees' interest in health management, according to the survey. Fifty-nine percent of employee respondents says managing their health is a primary concern, a decrease from 69 percent in 2008, and 59 percent of respondents are have tried to improve their health in the past two year, down from 65 percent in 2008. Twenty percent of employees used employer lifestyle management programs, a drop from 26 percent in 2008.

However, employee awareness concerning their health risks is increasing, as more employees are participating in health-screening programs. In fact, 43 percent of employees completed a health risk assessment, a jump from 26 percent in 2008, the survey finds. Thirty-one percent also completed a biometric screening for body mass index and cholesterol and glucose levels, an increase from 18 percent in 2008, while 68 percent of employees believe they can change their health status.

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Health management drops in importance among employees

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