Chapter 15 - Health Protection and Promotion.docxVIP专享VIP免费原创优质

Chapter15-HealthProtectionandPromotionHEALTHPROTECTIONANDPROMOTIONINTHEWORKPLACE:ANOVERVIEWLeonJ.WarshawandJacquelineMessiteIthasoftenbeensaidthattheworkforceisthemostcriticalelementintheproductiveapparatusoftheorganization.Eveninhighlyautomatedplantswiththeirsmallernumberofworkers,decrementsintheirhealthandwell-beingwillsoonerorlaterbereflectedinimpairedproductivityor,sometimes,evenindisasters.Throughgovernmentallegislationandregulation,employershavebeenmaderesponsibleformaintainingthesafetyoftheworkenvironmentandworkpractices,andforthetreatment,rehabilitationandcompensationofworkerswithoccupationalinjuriesanddisease.Inrecentdecades,however,employershavebeguntorecognizethatdisabilitiesandabsencesarecostlyevenwhentheyoriginateoutsidetheworkplace.Consequently,theyhavebeguntoprovidemoreandmorecomprehensivehealthpromotionandprotectionprogrammesnotonlyforemployeesbutfortheirfamiliesaswell.Inopeninga1987meetingofaWorldHealthOrganization(WHO)ExpertCommitteeonHealthPromotionintheWorksetting,Dr.LuRushan,AssistantDirector-GeneralofWHO,reiteratedthatWHOviewedworkers'healthpromotionasanessentialcomponentofoccupationalhealthservices(WHO1988).WhytheWorkplace?Therationaleforemployersponsorshipofhealthpromotionprogrammesincludespreventinglossofworkerproductivityduetoavoidableillnessesanddisabilityandtheirassociatedabsenteeism,improvingemployeewell-beingandmorale,andcontrollingthecostsofemployer-paidhealthinsurancebyreducingtheamountofhealthcareservicesrequired.Similarconsiderationshavestimulatedunioninterestinsponsoringprogrammes,particularlywhentheirmembersarescatteredamongmanyorganizationstoosmalltomounteffectiveprogrammesontheirown.Theworkplaceisuniquelyadvantageousasanarenaforhealthprotectionandpromotion.Itistheplacewhereworkerscongregateandspendamajorportionoftheirwakinghours,afactthatmakesitconvenienttoreachthem.Inadditiontothispropinquity,theircamaraderieandsharingofsimilarinterestsandconcernsfacilitatethedevelopmentofpeerpressuresthatcanbeapowerfulmotivatorforparticipationandpersistenceinahealthpromotionactivity.Therelativestabilityoftheworkforce-mostworkersremaininthesameorganizationforlongperiodsoftime-makesforthecontinuingparticipationinhealthfulbehavioursnecessarytoachievetheirbenefit.Theworkplaceaffordsuniqueopportunitiestopromotetheimprovedhealthandwell-beingoftheworkersby:·integratingthehealthprotectionandpromotionprogrammeintotheorganization'seffortstocontroloccupationaldiseasesandinjuries·modifyingthestructureofthejobanditsenvironmentinwaysthatwillmakeitlesshazardousandlessstressful·providingemployer-orunion-sponsoredprogrammesdesignedtoenableemployeestocopemoreeffectivelywithpersonalorfamilyburdensthatmayimpingeontheirwell-beingandworkperformance(i.e.,modifiedworkschedulesandfinancialassistancebenefitsandprogrammesthataddressalcoholanddrugabuse,pregnancy,childcare,caringforelderlyordisabledfamilymembers,maritaldifficultiesorplanningforretirement).DoesHealthPromotionWork?Thereisnodoubtoftheefficacyofimmunizationsinpreventinginfectiousdiseasesorofthevalueofgoodoccupationalhealthandsafetyprogrammesinreducingthefrequencyandseverityofwork-relateddiseasesandinjuries.Thereisgeneralagreementthatearlydetectionandappropriatetreatmentofincipientdiseaseswillreducemortalityandlowerthefrequencyandextentofresidualdisabilityfrommanydiseases.Thereisgrowingevidencethateliminationor...