Measurable health promotion: studies prove the effectiveness of the AI assistant Isa

Sitting for long periods of time is part of everyday working life for many employees - with significant health consequences. A lack of exercise has been proven to lead to numerous complaints, including musculoskeletal disorders, circulatory disorders and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. According to the DAK Health Report 2024 musculoskeletal disorders are in second place in the sickness absence ranking and are responsible for 18.5 % of sick leave. The World Health Organisation (WHO) emphasises workplaces as a central starting point for reducing sitting times. Nevertheless, many BGF measures fall short of expectations and often only have limited, short-term effects. According to the WHO, the problem of sitting affects two thirds of all adults and poses a serious threat to public health.

Scientifically proven: How Isa improves health in the workplace

To counteract this problem, Deep Care has developed the AI-based health coach Isa has developed an innovative approach. In order to create trust among companies and users alike and at the same time critically scrutinise its own hypothesis, Deep Care has carried out the scientific evaluation of Isa initiated. Two comprehensive studies, carried out by Heidelberg University Hospital with the support of Heidelberg University and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Klinikum rechts der Isar, are now providing sound findings on the effectiveness of Isa.

Evidence-based health promotion in the company: Why is it crucial?

Workplace health promotion (WHP) measures are intended to improve the long-term health of employees, reduce sickness-related absences and increase well-being in the workplace. However, not every measure automatically leads to the desired success. Without a systematic evaluation, there is a risk that investments will come to nothing and health measures will merely be perceived as a non-binding additional offer. As a result, OHM remains an optional extra instead of being established as a strategically relevant element of corporate management.

A structured management cycle that includes analysis, target definition, action planning and effectiveness testing forms the basis for successful OHM. Companies can use various methods for evaluation, including structural evaluation (assessment of the structural anchoring of OHM in the organisation), process evaluation (review of the implementation of measures) and results evaluation (measurement of the impact on absenteeism or employee well-being). By using standardised instruments and key figures, companies can not only make the effectiveness of their health promotion measures transparent and continuously improve them, but also convince management of the relevance of strategic OHM. This is essential in order to secure sufficient budget and room for manoeuvre - even in economically challenging times.

The BGM Pulse Checka survey initiated by Deep Care in 2024 with hundreds of participating company representatives from the fields of OHM, HR and occupational health and safety, revealed that the "Measurability of successes" is one of the biggest challenges in health initiatives. Particularly with regard to investment decisions and the long-term anchoring of OHM in the company, there is often a lack of reliable data to convincingly demonstrate the added value of health measures to management. After the lack of prioritisation of OHM and the lack of sustainable effectiveness, it takes third place. The survey also showed that companies are increasingly focussing on sustainability when selecting external OHM service providers, which indicates that existing measures often do not achieve the desired long-term effects. This emphasises the growing need for evidence-based and verifiable health solutions.

Scientific validation of Isa: The study results in detail

To ensure that Isa has a measurable impact on health and well-being, independent research institutions were commissioned to investigate its effectiveness.

You can download the posters of the studies here.

Study by Heidelberg University Hospital

The study was conducted as a randomised controlled trial (RCT) with a smaller, but methodologically strictly controlled population. 43 people were randomly allocated to an intervention or control group. The intervention group used Isa over a period of 12 weeks at their own discretion, while the control group received no intervention. Perceived health and sitting behaviour were recorded at several points in time using standardised questionnaires. The results show that participants in the intervention group recorded significant improvements in their sense of health (p ≤ 0.05, effect size d = 0.74). In addition, the number of exercise breaks taken increased significantly, with a large effect size of d = 1.58. These results suggest that Isa not only raises awareness of healthy behaviour, but also actively contributes to positive changes in behaviour.

Long-term study by the Technical University of Munich

The long-term study by the Technical University of Munich examined a larger and more diverse population of 2,325 office workers from 50 companies over a period of almost three years. The intervention period varied from 4 to 18 weeks. The aim was to analyse the effect of Isa on health and productivity-related factors. A combination of standardised questionnaires and qualitative interviews were used to analyse the development of the participants over time. The results show a significant reduction in sick days due to musculoskeletal complaints - from an average of 5.4 to 2.4 days per year, which corresponds to a reduction of 56 %. At the same time, the participants' awareness of ergonomics increased by 88 %, while the proportion of working hours with movement breaks increased from 40 % to 79 %. In addition, there was a significant increase in productivity of 58 %. These findings prove that Isa not only contributes preventively to the reduction of health complaints, but can also have positive economic effects for companies.

Download proof of efficacy

If you would like to find out more about the effectiveness of our AI assistant, you can find it here Current studies and exciting practical reports to download.

Evidence as the basis for sustainable BGM

The scientific studies impressively demonstrate that Isa has a measurable impact on the health, well-being and productivity of employees. Together, the two studies provide a sound basis for companies wishing to implement sustainable and scientifically validated health measures.

At the same time, the DeepDive BGM Pulse shows that many companies continue to have difficulties with the systematic evaluation of results - either because measures do not deliver the desired effects or because their measurability is insufficient. Nevertheless, regular evaluation is essential in order to make the success of OHM visible. This is the only way to continuously optimise measures, replace ineffective offers and justify the financial resources for strategically oriented health management. Companies such as DB InfraGO AG are setting a good example here by consistently testing new WHP programmes for acceptance and effectiveness before they are rolled out on a large scale. Prioritising the integration of scientifically sound solutions not only facilitates investment decisions, but also makes a significant contribution to achieving sustainable health and economic success.

Rely on measurable health promotion - get advice now!

Health in the workplace is an investment that pays off. Would you like to find out how Isa can contribute to health promotion in your company? Then contact us for a non-binding consultation!

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