Evaluations of Integrated Therapeutics Group (ITG) Asthma Health Management (AHM) programs have included measures of clinical outcomes, utilization/medical expenditures and QOL. To date, indirect costs have not been systematically assessed. OBJECTIVES: As part of an effort to develop and validate survey measures of productivity, this study will present significant correlates of baseline (pre-AHM implementation) mean annual costs associated with missed days from work due to asthma. METHODS: Data were obtained from self-reports from a random sample of adult, employed asthmatics who completed a mailed survey (N=1275) prior to participation in an AHM program. The dependent variable was mean annual costs associated with missed days from work due to asthma, derived by annualizing missed days reported in the survey and multiplied by an estimate of wages. Independent variables included sociodemographics, health status measures, asthma-related symptomatology, utilization of medical services/pharmaceuticals, attitudes and beliefs. RESULTS: Mean annual indirect costs were $647 (95% C.I. $541-$754). In order of entrance into a multiple regression equation, significant predictors (P<.05) of increased costs were: 1) asthma-related ER/inpatient episode; 2) rating of health status as fair/poor; 3) low self confidence in ability to manage asthma); 4) adverse symptomatology profile; (5) comorbidity of respiratory allergies; and 6) daily use of bronchodilators. As obtained from the multivariate model, an ER/inpatient episode generated an increase of $998 associated with missed work days, and relative to their more confident counterparts, patients with low self-efficacy had increased expenditures of $344 . CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with national data, this study reveals a substantial indirect cost burden associated with asthma. One year follow-up data on the impact of the ITG AHM program on these indirect costs will be presented.