Addiction Treatment and Work-Related Outcomes: Examining the Impact of Employer Involvement and Substance of Choice on Absenteeism, Tardiness, and Productivity

This study quantified the benefits of inpatient addiction treatment by examining its impact on work-related variables. Participants were 154 employed adults who completed addiction treatment and measures of absenteeism, tardiness, and productivity at pretreatment and 6-months follow-up. The impact of substance of choice and employer involvement was examined. Treatment produced significant improvements in all three variables. Furthermore, even though workplace variables differed significantly based on substance of choice and employer involvement, participants reported comparable outcomes at follow-up. Based on these results, a conservative cost-benefit analysis of inpatient treatment is discussed.