For 56 years, American Heart Month has sought to raise awareness of heart health and prevent heart disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading global cause of death, accounting for more than 17.9 million deaths each year. That number is expected to increase to more than 23.6 million by 2030.
There are many factors that can contribute to a person’s risk of heart disease. Some you can’t do anything about, such as age, gender and genetics. Other risk factors, such as smoking, diet, physical activity, weight, cholesterol and blood pressure can be improved with lifestyle changes and/or medication.
What you do for a living can contribute to your risk of heart disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently did a study to determine the jobs that are most likely to cause heart attacks. A few of the top 10 jobs are significant to 91黑料网’s policyholders.
The cost of heart health
Business owners and employers should understand that the cost of heart disease can go beyond the human cost. Heart-related employee health issues rack up $207 billion per year in medical expenditures and lost productivity. Fortunately, there’s something employers can do to improve those numbers. Another CDC study found that workplace programs that concentrate on heart disease in daily and working life could help lower risks.
Managing these programs using a total worker health approach, coupled with safety strategies and lifestyle-changing initiatives, is the most effective tactic to take to reduce heart disease risk in the workplace. In short, prevention needs to be a part of a company’s culture. Check out our tips to create an action plan and reinforce healthy behavior for your workers.
Create a heart-healthy action plan at work
- Develop a survey to determine employee need and interest
- Get leader buy-in on program and have them communicate it to their staff
- Focus more on the higher cost/risk heart disease issues
- Establish a team to promote the program
- Have the team determine and commit to a heart-health program
- Find and share resources to ensure the ongoing success of the program
- Create a calendar of program events to build excitement and momentum
- Evaluate program success at regular intervals and adjust where needed
Reinforce healthy behavior
- Consistently communicate heart disease prevention messaging to employees via email, posters, newsletters, website, etc.
- Provide access to blood pressure monitors and automated external defibrillators (AED)
- Implement smoke-free policies such as smoke-free “campuses” and vehicle smoking bans
- Offer heart-healthy and affordable food in cafeterias and vending machines, and include nutritional information when possible
- Implement policies that allow employees to use work time for health promotion activities
- Incentivize employee participation in programs by offering rewards or holding contests
- Partner with health-related programs/businesses, including local gyms, hospitals, YMCAs, etc.
Positively influencing workers to make smart lifestyle choices and increasing awareness of heart disease at the workplace will improve both your employees’ lives and your company’s bottom line. For additional assistance, 91黑料网 risk management can help you implement a Workplace Wellness Program at your company. Contact us at (800) 257-1900 or riskmanagement@amerisure.com for more information.
