Overview

CuraLinc is continually working to improve and expand our programs to evolve alongside employees’ needs. To support these efforts, we regularly review utilization trends to understand the top presenting issues among employees across our book of business. Before 2020, data consistently showed that employees most often sought support for stress and depression. In the last three years, though, that has changed. Anxiety is now more frequently identified as a presenting concern than depression. 

A study published in the International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications sought to uncover who is most at risk for clinical anxiety, its correlation to productivity and the impact EAP treatment has on those who seek support. The outcomes demonstrate the widespread risk for clinical anxiety and how necessary mental health support access is in today’s workforce. 

For the full report, visit the International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (IJSRP). For a summary, continue reading or fill out the form below. 

Download the case summary

Executive summary

Understanding Anxiety, Work and the Impact of Mental Health Counseling and Coaching in 20,725 Employee Assistance Program Clients in United States: CuraLinc Healthcare 2022-2023 (Source: International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 13, Issue 7, 2023)

Sample size

20,725 employees

Summary

For this study, CuraLinc analyzed utilization data for over 20,000 individuals who accessed the EAP in 2022 and the first half of 2023. To quantify baselines and outcomes of the program’s usage, CuraLinc evaluated employees upon accessing the program and then again during the follow-up process once the counseling or coaching sessions were complete. Evaluations were completed using clinically validated tools, including the following: 

  • Anxiety risk   General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2)  

  • Depression risk   Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2)  

  • Alcohol use risk   Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C)  

  • Productivity and absenteeism   Workplace Outcomes Suite (WOS) 

This study was performed in partnership with Dr. Mark Attridge, a workplace mental health expert who’s authored more than 250 papers and presentations on health care and psychology.  

Understanding anxiety risk among EAP users   

  • 42% of employees had a clinical level of anxiety symptoms before starting EAP treatment – that’s four times higher than the typical working adult 

  • 79% of employees at risk for clinical anxiety were seeking support for a concern other than anxiety, suggesting they either didn’t prioritize their anxiety or were unaware of it 

  • 56% of employees at risk for clinical anxiety were also at risk for clinical depression 

Correlations between anxiety and work performance 

  • Nearly half of those seeking support for work-related stress were at risk for clinical anxiety 

  • Employees at risk for clinical anxiety reported 64.4 hours of unproductive time at work in the previous 30 days before treatment 

  • The average hours of lost productive time are highest among employees at risk for both anxiety and depression (78.1 hours per month) – over three times the average hours lost by typical employees 

EAP treatment’s impact on anxiety and work performance 

  • Employees at risk for clinical anxiety experienced a 69% decrease in anxiety symptom severity, on average  

  • 88% of employees at risk for clinical anxiety experienced a reliable improvement in symptoms 

  • 79% of individuals at risk for clinical anxiety achieved reliable recovery, meaning their symptom score declined enough to be beyond chance and below the at-risk cutoff level