Making the Workplace a More Effective Site for Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases in Adults : Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

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Making the Workplace a More Effective Site for Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases in Adults

Tryon, Katherine MA (Oxon), MBBS; Bolnick, Howard MBA, FSA; Pomeranz, Jennifer L. JD, MPH; Pronk, Nicolaas PhD; Yach, Derek MBChB, MPH

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Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 56(11):p 1137-1144, November 2014. | DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000300

Abstract

Objective: 

Efforts to realize the potential of disease prevention in the United States have fallen behind those of peer countries, and workplace disease prevention is a major gap. This article investigates the reasons for this gap.

Methods: 

Literature review and expert discussions.

Results: 

Obstacles to effective use of workplace disease prevention include limited leadership and advocacy, poor alignment of financial incentives, limitations in research quality and investment, regulation that does not support evidence-based practice, and a dearth of community–employer partnerships.

Conclusions: 

We make recommendations to address these obstacles, such as the inclusion of health metrics in corporate reporting, making the workplace a central component of the strategy to combat the effect of noncommunicable diseases, and linking prevention directly benefit businesses’ bottom lines.

Copyright © 2014 by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

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