Report touts potential windfall from disease prevention investment in Ohio

According to research from the Trust for America’s Health, every dollar spent on disease-prevention programs in Ohio will result in a $5.99 return in five years (Source: “Disease prevention programs provide almost $6 return on investment by 2013,” Dayton Daily News, July 18, 2008).

The study concludes that spending $10 per Ohioan on proven programs to increase physical activity, improve nutrition and reduce tobacco use would lead to net savings of $795 million in five years, with $503 millions of those savings being realized by employers and patients. The remaining savings would go to taxpayers.

Nationally, a $10 per-person investment in prevention programs would yield net savings of $10.9 billion in private money and an additional $8.3 billion in tax funds, or a 5.6-to-1 return on investment, according to the report.