Worker health and wellness

RSS

Dallas — Smoking bans in workplaces and public places may help promote lower systolic blood pressure among people working in or living near these settings, suggests a recent study conducted by researchers at Northwestern University and the University of Minnesota.

Menlo Park, CA — Nearly three-quarters of office workers take into account potential employers’ health and wellness offerings when looking for a job, according to the results of a recent survey.

St. Paul, MN — Nurses and non-clinical personnel such as environmental and food services staff wash their hands more frequently than other health care workers, according to recent research from Ecolab – a manufacturer of water, hygiene, and energy technologies and services.

Toronto — Sitting or standing for prolonged periods may adversely affect workers’ health, according to separate studies from the Institute for Work and Health. So, what should workers do?

Atlanta — Suicide prevention strategies for workers are needed to help mitigate rising workplace suicide rates, a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests.

Shift work is a way of life for nearly 15 million Americans, spurring numerous studies that link the practice to health problems and chronic conditions. “It’s really important to recognize these risks, and we need to understand them and we need to treat them,” a leading researcher says.

London — Although a larger percentage of workers in the United Kingdom say their managers are genuinely concerned for their well-being, “the prevalence and impact of mental health issues are severe, and employers need to urgently ramp up the breadth and quality of support they’re providing,” concludes a recent report from nonprofit group Business in the Community.

Atlanta — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is seeking public comment on a draft updating two sections of existing guidance intended to assist health care administrators with “providing occupational infection prevention and control services to health care personnel,” according to a notice published in the Oct. 15 Federal Register.

Winnipeg, Manitoba — Hospital privacy curtains may be breeding grounds for antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, a recent study led by researchers at the University of Manitoba shows.

Washington — The Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs has unveiled a four-point Opioid Action Plan intended to help combat opioid misuse among injured federal employees.