Occupational health physicians and prevention

Article Abstract:

The main goal of occupational health programs is to protect the health of employees by preventing conditions that require medical attention. This is accomplished by identifying occupational health hazards and employees who have been exposed to hazardous substances, routine screening for the development of work-related diseases, initiation of safety programs, and providing physical examinations for the employees. The corporate occupational physician should assume a leadership role in developing and implementing the necessary and appropriate prevention guidelines. The major functions of the corporate physician are to ensure that all employees, dependents, and retirees receive preventative services; to integrate appropriate preventative services into existing corporate health care services and into programs designed to improve health; and to evaluate the effectiveness of the services. Also, corporate physicians should encourage the addition of preventative screening (such as routine testing of blood pressure and cholesterol levels) into health plans. National health objectives for the year 2,000 have been established and include increasing the number of healthy years of life to 65, increasing life expectancy to 78 years, and decreasing disability caused by chronic illness to 6 percent. The most common preventable causes of lost life years before the age of 65 are injuries, cancer, and heart disease. Although a significant portion of the health care budget is spent on treating these conditions, an even larger fraction of the total budget is spent on treating mental health problems and substance abuse. Employee assistance programs are used by larger corporations for the prevention and early detection of mental health and substance abuse problems. The corporate physician should review their employee assistance programs on a periodic basis to evaluate usage rates and effectiveness. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Economic aspects, Finance, Services, Occupational health services, Preventive medicine physicians

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Correlates of motor-vehicle safety behaviors in working populations

Article Abstract:

Motor vehicle accidents are a major cause of death and injury in the US. Alcohol use, speeding, and not using seat belts increase the risk of severe injury or death from car accidents. These high risk behaviors have not been extensively examined in working populations. Work-site educational programs may be useful for increasing motor vehicle safety. This study examined the prevalence and characteristics that correlated with these risk behaviors in a group of employees. Questionnaires on motor vehicle operation were sent to 40,071 employees in a variety of jobs. Data were obtained from 18,046 questionnaires that were returned. At least one high-risk behavior was reported by 51 percent of the respondents. Seat belts were not used regularly by 24 percent of the respondents. Increasing age and educational attainment were correlated with seat belt use. Hourly workers and those traveling less than 15,000 miles per year were less likely to use seat belts. Riding in a car with a driver who had been drinking was reported by 23 percent of the respondents with whites, males, and college graduates reporting this behavior more often than other groups. Speeding was reported by 22 percent of the respondents, with males and younger persons more likely to engage in this behavior as were salaried employees and those traveling between 15,001 and 30,000 miles per year. These results indicate there are specific groups that are more likely to engage in high risk behaviors for motor vehicle accidents. Work-site educational programs could provide substantial opportunity to reach these groups and perhaps decrease the risks for automobile accidents and injuries. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Injuries, Safety and security measures, Risk factors, Motor vehicle drivers, Traffic accidents, Automobile drivers, Traffic safety, Workers

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Work site stress management: national survey results

Article Abstract:

In late 1985 the Work Site Health Promotion Activity Survey was conducted for the Department of Health and Human Services. This was a national telephone survey which included a valid probability sample of all private sector work places in the United States having more than 50 employees. There were 1,358 respondents. Some of the results regarding stress management are presented. The respondents were grouped by size of work site, region of the country and type of industry. Over one quarter (26.6 percent) of work sites provided stress management activities. These included group counseling, individual counseling, follow-up counseling, special events, providing information about stress, providing a place to relax, and making changes within the organization aimed at reducing employee stress. The larger the work site, the greater the possibility of having a stress management activity in place. The West had the highest percentage of work places having stress management activities. The utilities, transportation and communication industries were the most likely (45.5 percent) industry group to have a program in place, while the 'other' category, which includes mining, fishing and construction, were the least likely (11.7 percent). The most frequently cited benefit of having a stress management program was felt to be an increase in productivity and quality of work. Such programs were seen to have a negative effect at 2.6 percent of the work sites. According to those responding, the benefits of this type of program outweigh the costs by 51.6 percent. Stress management was the responsibility of the Employee Assistance Program (where there was one in place) in almost two-thirds of the respondents (62 percent).

Psychological aspects, Health aspects, Demographic aspects, Stress management, Health promotion, Work, Work (Labor), Preventive health services, Preventive medicine, Employee assistance programs, Psychology

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