As Americans face growing health and financial burdens from preventable, non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain cancers, a new study demonstrates employers have a unique opportunity to improve AmericansÂ’ health.
The research is led by Dr. Katherine Tryon and Dr. Derek Yach fromthe Vitality Institute and is published in the November issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
The study, which involved a first-of-its-kind comprehensive review of existing research into workplace health programs, notes that even though the United States spends more on health care than any other country, the life expectancy and disease-specific survival rates of Americans has not improved at a rate similar to other developed countries. It traces the problem to the fragmented spending on public health and disease prevention programs in United States, and finds the workplace is a common central setting where evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion programs could be easily implemented. These programs could positively influence the health of 155 million working-age Americans while financially benefiting their employers by reducing healthcare costs, reducing sick time and improving productivity.
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