Workplace health promotion in Washington State.
The workplace is a powerful setting to reach large numbers of at-risk adults with effective chronic disease prevention programs. Missed preventive care is a particular problem for workers with low income and no health insurance. The costs of chronic diseases among workers--including health care costs, productivity losses, and employee turnover--have prompted employers to seek health promotion interventions that are both effective and cost-effective. The workplace offers 4 avenues for delivering preventive interventions: health insurance, workplace policies, health promotion programs, and communications. For each of the avenues, the evidence base describes a number of preventive interventions that are applicable to the workplace. On the basis of the evidence and of our work in Washington State, we present a public health approach to preventing chronic diseases via the workplace. In addition to relying on the evidence, this approach makes a compelling business case for preventive interventions to employers.
Harris
Jeffrey R
JR
Health Promotion Research Center, 1107 NE 45th St, Ste 200, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. jh7@u.washington.edu
Lichiello
Patricia A
PA
Hannon
Peggy A
PA
D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D012307:Risk Factors; D014861:Washington; D017132:Workplace