Prudential study reveals the connection between physical ailments and depression and anxiety

A new study from Prudential and health-tech platform NeuroFlow found an undeniable connection between the mental and physical health of disability claimants, underlining the importance of employer-backed holistic wellness care for their workers. 

Following the onset of the COVID pandemic, Kristin Tugman, VP of holistic wellness and health and productivity at Prudential, sought to examine the connection between physical and mental health for claimants who were on disability leave. Data from the newly published study revealed that one in five disability claimants who were out of work due to physical health issues were also suffering from an undetected mental health issue, such as depression or anxiety. 

"We've got to get to a point where we equalize mental and physical health," says Tugman, pointing to the problematic disconnect between how these two disciplines are often treated. "We are all on the continuum of mental health every day; just as I could wake up with a sinus infection and physically not feel 100%, I can wake up and not feel mentally 100%. And that's okay."

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The impact of mental health struggles is a growing issue within the workplace, with 19% of U.S. workers rating their mental health as fair or poor. These workers report about four times more unplanned absences due to poor mental health than those who report good, very good or excellent mental health, according to research from Gallup. Adults with disabilities report experiencing frequent mental distress almost five times as often as adults without disabilities, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Consistently addressing mental health in the workplace and helping employees on disability gain access to the right kind of care is a crucial part of recovery, says Tugman.

"With any physical condition, depression and anxiety tend to accompany them," Tugman says. "If you have chronic pain, you're more likely to experience depression. We also know that if you're depressed and you have a back injury, your back is going to hurt more. They're all completely intertwined."  

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After identifying the need for mental health intervention among those on disability leave, Prudential first partnered with NeuroFlow in 2021 to make the platform's app available to their claimants, who can access self-guided digital assessments to help identify symptoms and receive targeted resources for things like tracking sleep, managing stress and building mental wellness skills. 

Data from those assessments is sent to Prudential's claims management platform, which allows its clinical disability case managers to allocate the best resources and ensure that, should a claimant's mental health decline, timely action can be taken to get them the support they need. 

Eight-seven percent of the claimants with mental wellness needs were identified within a week of beginning their journey with NeuroFlow. Within four to eight months of taking part in more than one assessment on the app, 45% of those diagnosed with clinical levels of depression and 54% of those with clinical levels of anxiety reported significant improvements, with many considering their conditions to be resolved. 

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"Employers are at a place where they have to prioritize the mental health of their workers or they're going to lose them," says Tugman. "It really is about the pillars of raising awareness, reducing stigma, improving access to care, and equalizing the conversation around mental and physical health."