Health Promotion for Women in the Workplace: A Scoping Review

The World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization consider the workplace ideal for promoting workers' health and well-being.

To describe workplace health promotion programs for women implemented in or through the workplace, and to synthesize the health-related outcomes reported in these studies.

Research from the last 10 years (2014-2024) in the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science.

We included primary empirical studies evaluating workplace health promotion programs for adult women, using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods approaches, including experimental and quasi-experimental studies.

Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, as well as full texts, extracted data on study and intervention characteristics and health-related outcomes, and synthesized findings narratively.

Of 183 records identified, 10 met the eligibility criteria. Programs were grouped into three domains: (1) mental health and stress reduction, (2) lifestyle behaviors and chronic disease prevention, and (3) maternal and reproductive health. Favorable outcomes were identified in most studies, often based on self-reported measures, including improved well-being/work-life balance, increased physical activity or fitness, enhanced social support, and continued breastfeeding when support rooms were available.

Workplace health promotion programs for women report promising outcomes, but the evidence base is limited and heterogeneous. More rigorous, well-designed interventions tailored to women's multiple roles and life stages, ideally with comparison groups and longer follow-up, are needed.