Impacting health through the worksite

The achievement of the Healthy People 2010 objectives will require community involvement of health care providers. The worksite remains the best place to access the adult population for health promotion and disease prevention. In addition, it is essential that non-worksite primary care services be attuned to the effects of work on health and illness. Given the frequency and duration of exposure, the significance of a worksite health history for the primary care provider cannot be overstated. To effectively serve clients, health histories should include assessment for the presence of hazardous worksite exposures and consideration of organizational climate. Further, when considering the provision of health promotion programs in the community, offering programs at the worksites within the community can be particularly effective. There should be increased efforts by health care providers to promote lifestyle modification through client and community interventions. The worksite offers an excellent setting as well as an opportunity to collaborate with employers to facilitate health promotion programs. Recognizing the significance of the occupational environment, an increasing number of worksite intervention studies have been reported. However, continued growth in this area is still needed. Research on worksite health promotion and disease prevention intervention is still in its infancy. Nurses can make a unique contribution to research on worksite lifestyle modification programs, and in enhancing the health status of the nation.