Assessing the economic case for public health interventions provided in non-health public sector settings: a feasibility study in job centres in Cornwall, South West of England.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Poor mental wellbeing costs society over £105 billion/year in England. Those with a mental health condition face significant health inequalities and lower employment rates. This feasibility study assessed the cost benefit of a public health intervention to help unemployed people with poor mental wellbeing to access employment.

Methods

Mental health employment advisors located in all 11 job centres supported people aged over 16 years. Support was provided over a 2-to-4-month period via an agreed action plan. Employment status, baseline and follow up wellbeing outcomes (using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing scale) were obtained and used to estimate the return on investment.

Results

Of the 540 people with baseline and follow-up wellbeing scores, a

SUBMITTER: Sharpe RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12045847 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature