Global Perspectives In Workplace Health Promotion

Health Behavior, Education, & Promotion

This work is a critical reflection on the state of health promotion effectiveness in practice around the world. It examines the meaning of health promotion from regional perspectives, and explores regional strengths and weaknesses in demonstrating effectiveness. The book goes on to consider issues in public health such as tobacco, mental health, obesity, urbanization, war, and social determinants in order to assess the role of effectiveness, and to examine methodologies for demonstrating effectiveness. Finally, the book looks at questions over the effectiveness of health promotion – the debate about the relationship between evidence, impact, and outcomes.

Work-related factors have implications for health and wellbeing. Due to the amount of time spent at the workplace and the impact of work on health over an individual’s life course, the workplace has evolved as an important arena for population health promotion. Risk factors within the physical and psychosocial working environment, as well as inadequate organizational support, are associated with increasing work-related health problems, which result in psychosocial and economic implications for the individual, the family, the organization and the society. Recent estimates revealed an increasing level of sickness absence due to work related factors, among others. In recognition of the importance of worker health and a healthy working life, but also in line with numerous occupational health goals, many organisations set aside significant amounts of financial resources annually to promote work well-being. However, studies have shown that despite this positive disposition among employers, both employee participation and the impact of such programs remain minimal. According to the Ottawa declaration for health promotion and the Luxembourg declaration for Workplace Health Promotion (WHP), WHP should be strategic. It is recommended that WHP be conducted in a systematic and continuous process of needs analysis, priority setting, planning, implementation and evaluation. Unfortunately, available studies show that many companies have policies currently in place but lack knowledge regarding proper implementation and evaluation. The foregoing phenomenon raises questions regarding the level of knowledge of and attitudes towards WHP among people in management positions. This Research Topic aims to address factors affecting workplace health promotion. - What does WHP mean for employers? - What forms of WHP packages exist? - Is there evaluation and follow up of such interventions? - What are the barriers and facilitators relating to the uptake of WHP interventions among employees? - Do people in relevant managerial positions possess adequate knowledge regarding WHP? Manuscripts that explore factors crucial for WHP, including individual and organizational level factors, crucial for WHP are welcomed. Manuscripts on barriers, evidence-based interventions, best practices, analysis of existing policy documents and those with a life course perspective etc. are also welcomed. Manuscripts can be of national, international and global perspectives.

Health Promotion in the Workplace is an ideal reference for managers and consultants involved in the developing and implementation of health promotion programs. Written from a scholarly perspective reflecting the full knowledge of science in the field, this comprehensive text recognizes the constraints of practical application facing businesses today. Topics covered include the importance of health promotion programs; the process of designing, managing and evaluating programs; the positive effects such programs can have on employees and the workplace; the physical and emotional services these programs can offer; and major issues, such as factors affecting older workers and retirees and the emerging global perspective, impacting the health promotion field. · Financial analysis of health promotion programs provide necessary justification needed to secure funding · Chapters provide review of subject area, a discussion and critique of the supporting research and guidelines on how to implement the research into practice · Includes in depth guidelines for evaluating health promotion programs · Also ideal text for students in undergraduate and graduate level health promotion programs

This challenging and provocative book explores many contentious and debated issues associated with the promotion of health at a global level. The chapters offer insights into the key determinants of health between and within countries; how effective health promotion is in achieving health gain at a global level and the significant health challenges to be faced in the twenty-first century. The contributors are a highly distinguished group of academics and health professionals from around the world, including representatives from the World Health Organization, The International Union of Health Promotion and Education and the World Bank.

Explore the history and practice of social work around the world! This fascinating book presents a broad international survey of the development and current practices of occupational social work. Covering seven countries around the world, Global Perspectives of Occupational Social Work offers a unique cross-cultural perspective on issues of interest to social workers everywhere. From India to Ireland, issues of training, sexual harassment, and workplace health and safety are remarkably similar and intriguingly varied. Global Perspectives of Occupational Social Work describes the evolution of social work in factories and, later, in offices. When industrialization brought women into factories, owners hired nurses or governesses to guard, chaperone, and advise the young women in their employ. Since then occupational social work has sought to keep a balance between the interests of management and workers. In addition to discussing history and professional development, Global Perspectives of Occupational Social Work reveals the way professionals like you handle the same situations you face every day, including: the shift toward privatization corporate restructuring and downsizing developing alcohol and substance abuse interventions creating employee assistance programs racism and sexism in the workplace HIV/AIDS and other health problems workplace violence Covering Australia, India, Germany, Ireland, South Africa, Israel, and the US, Global Perspectives of Occupational Social Work is a major contribution to the professional literature. Not only will this book increase international awareness, it may supply you with unique perspectives and fresh strategies for solving the problems your colleagues in Jerusalem and Pretoria also face.

This book aims at exploring the link between corporate and organizational culture, public and private policies, leadership and managerial skills or attitudes, and the successful implementation of work-related healthcare in Europe. Therefore it brings together a wide range of empirical and theoretical contributions from occupational health, management, psychology, medicine, economics, and (organizational) sociology to address the question of how to sustainably promote occupational health. Such important questions are explored as: What aspects of a corporate culture can be associated with health issues? How does leadership style affect the health of employees? How are health-related decisions in the workplace affected by the political environment? To what extent are interventions influenced by corporate culture, leadership and public policy? How can we make such interventions sustainable?