Employees want help managing chronic pain

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Employers have been stepping up to address their employees’ mental health issues since the start of the pandemic with better healthcare resources, but there is one area organizations might be neglecting: chronic pain.

About 20.4% of the U.S. population suffers from chronic pain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Eight percent say the pain is bad enough to interfere with daily life and work.

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Musculoskeletal pain is often overlooked by employers, despite its connection to mental health and well-being, according to a recent study by Fern Health, a virtual benefits platform that helps employees address persistent pain. The study also uncovered a disconnect between the health benefits employees want, compared to what their employers offer.

“Persistent pain is one of the most prevalent and expensive issues in our country, but nobody really talks about it,” says Tara Wacks, head of marketing at Fern Health. “More people live with musculoskeletal conditions than diabetes.”

Chronic pain can cost $297 billion to $336 billion in lost productivity, according to research from the NorthEast Business Group on Health. Annually, employers can see costs of $96.5 billion in lost work hours and $12.7 billion in missed work days.

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Employees with chronic pain want a pain program from their employer at twice the rate of those with mental health issues wanting program support from employers, according to the Fern Health survey. Those who were interested in mental health support were four times more likely to also be interested in pain management benefits. Employees working remotely were one-and-a-half times more concerned about physical inactivity than employees who work in a physical environment.

Yet pain management benefits don’t seem to be a priority for employers during the pandemic. Just 23% of employers offer virtual services such as online physical therapy to manage musculoskeletal issues, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.

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While it’s important to focus resources on major challenges employees are facing, like mental health, employers must also consider other health issues impacting their workforce.

“The pandemic has put a huge strain on employees and the employers for whom they work: highlighting previously hidden needs that employers must address — not just now, but moving forward," Brad Lawson, CEO of Fern Health, said in a release. "That means a more prescient focus on how both mental health and physical activity impact chronic pain. Employers must respond.”

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