Chronic diseases are a major cause of death in the United States, affecting about half of Americans. Minority groups and those with lower incomes are especially vulnerable. While individual behaviors contribute to chronic diseases, workplaces can also influence health risks. Studies show that promoting health education in the workplace on topics like smoking, exercise and stress management can significantly reduce rates of chronic diseases and lower healthcare costs for employers. Employers have a role in fostering collective health and minimizing exposure to hazards and stressful conditions that may induce chronic diseases.

1. 7/24/2018 Interventions To Minimize Chronic Diseases In The Workplace - Martin Lloyd Sanders
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Interventions To Minimize Chronic
Diseases In The Workplace
posted Mar 8, 2018, 2:45 AM by Martin Lloyd Sanders [ updated Mar 8, 2018,
2:46 AM ]
Chronic diseases are a leading cause of death in the United States,
with figures showing that approximately half of Americans are
afflicted, and a fourth experiencing their residual effects. Certain
segments of the population are also more prone to these diseases
than others. Specifically, minority groups and lower income brackets
have been shown most vulnerable to cardiovascular diseases and
cancers.
Image source: bestincorporatehealth.com
The workplace naturally and significantly contributes to
predispositions to chronic diseases, as most of Americans’ waking
hours are spent there. However, the workplace is as much a hotbed
of risk factors as it is a site for solutions. Combatting chronic
diseases involves the alteration of individual health behaviors, which
workplace leaders and managers can oversee.
This is because the workplace itself should be a site of health
promotion. For instance, a study surveying the health behaviors of
Johnson & Johnson employees between 1995 and 2010 reveals that
the percentage of smokers in the workplace had declined by more
than two-thirds, and physical inactivity reduced by half. These
results were attributed to the will of management to promote health
education on the effects of smoking, weight management, stress
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2. 7/24/2018 Interventions To Minimize Chronic Diseases In The Workplace - Martin Lloyd Sanders
https://sites.google.com/site/martinlloydsanders/blog/Interventions-To-Minimize-Chronic-Diseases-In-The-Workplace 2/3
management, and physical fitness. The program had another
undeniable upside for the company. Its health care costs were also
radically reduced.
Such might be a rosy example, but a principle must not be
overlooked. It is that individual behaviors cannot be controlled.
However, organizations have a bearing on collective health
consciousness. Moreover, when it comes to chronic diseases, risk
factors can be controlled. Exposure to hazardous elements in the
workplace must be strictly eliminated, as should be work-related
and disease-inducing conditions such as high demands and
inflexible work schedules.
Image source: georgetown.edu
Summarily, while individual behaviors account for many of the
leading causes of chronic diseases, and these cannot be completely
altered, employers can still be proactive in ensuring the health of
their workers.
Captain Martin Lloyd Sanders is an officer of the Commissioned
Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service and has more than a decade
of experience in the field of occupational safety and health. Learn
more about Captain Sanders by clicking here.
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3. 7/24/2018 Interventions To Minimize Chronic Diseases In The Workplace - Martin Lloyd Sanders
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