title: Participatory ergonomics as a model for integrated programs to prevent chronic disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the value of participatory methods for achieving successful workplace health promotion (WHP) programming, and specifically the relevance of participatory ergonomics (PE) for the Total Worker Health (TWH) initiative.
  
  
  METHODS
  We review the concept of macroergonomics, and how PE is embedded within that framework, and its utility to modern WHP approaches such as "social health promotion." We illustrate these constructs in practice within TWH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participatory ergonomics is relevant to WHP because (1) psychosocial stress contributes to individual health behaviors as well as chronic diseases; (2) job stress cannot be addressed without employee involvement in hazard identification and solutions; (3) the interaction of multiple levels within an organization requires attention to needs and constraints at all levels, just as the social-ecological model addresses higher-level determinants of and constraints on individual behaviors.
authors.affiliation: From the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace (Dr Punnett, Dr Warren, Dr Henning, Ms Nobrega, and Dr Cherniack), Lowell, Mass; University of Massachusetts Lowell (Dr Punnett, Ms Nobrega), Lowell, Mass; University of Connecticut Health Center (Dr Warren, Dr Cherniack), Farmington, Conn; and University of Connecticut (Dr Henning), Storrs, Conn.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Punnett
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Henning
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nobrega
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cherniack
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003256:Community Participation; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000379:methods*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D016272:Occupational Health; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology