CARDIOVASCULAR CONCERNS

With stress and musculoskeletal disorders often highlighted as some of the most common problems to affect employees in the workplace, it’s important not to ignore other illnesses. Dr Alan Black, Managing Director of Blackwell Associates, outlines what you need to know about another occupational threat: cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) refers to the narrowing or blocking of blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina), or stroke. 

Figures from Chest Heart and Stroke NI (CHSNI) show that last year 5,723 deaths were due to a combination of these conditions, which equates to 16 deaths per day. To put it another way, 68% of all deaths in NI are caused by one of three illnesses: cancer, respiratory diseases, and CVD.

While causing a substantial amount of deaths, it also goes without saying that there are thousands of people living with such conditions on a daily basis and this is where employers need to take note.

Risk factors for CVD are many, where age, gender, family history, ethnic origin, lifestyle choices, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes, can all play a part. 

And with the festive season almost upon us, these risk factors may be heightened in workplaces across the province.

For many shift workers, their unsociable working hours may be increased in the run up to Christmas as orders are accelerated to meet with year end deadlines.  In addition, the long dark nights and colder weather often deters people from undertaking their usual exercise and healthy eating routines, thus increasing the risk of triggering a CVD related condition.

This means that employers may wish to consider implementation of a workplace wellbeing plan to provide lifestyle information to staff to help reduce the likelihood of CVD conditions occurring - or becoming worse.

However, it’s important to note that offering employees health information is not enough to spur healthy lifestyle changes alone. 

Your occupational health provider can work with you to develop a comprehensive health promotion program that includes sustained risk reduction counselling for employees and environmental interventions. Together these prove to be the most effective approach to support healthy lifestyles and prevent CVD. 

A successful cardiovascular health program includes intervention plans that take into account organisational risk factors. It is essential to assist high-risk individuals, such as those with high blood pressure, so they become healthier and more productive employees. This will also result in substantial savings to the company’s bottom line as potential absenteeism costs may be avoided. 

In addition, plans can be put in place to safeguard the future health of those employees who have existing cardiovascular health problems and those who may be diagnosed as a result of any health assessments. 

It is important to note that most people can return to work following diagnosis of CVD, depending on the stability of the condition, control of symptoms and the type of work undertaken. Work itself can be important to general health and wellbeing and can play a significant part of the recovery process.

Your occupational health provider will be able to advise on any workplace adjustments that may be necessary, such as reduced hours, a change in workload, or suggest workplace amendments to help those who have received medical attention due to CVD (such s a pacemaker).

With all things considered, more businesses need to recognise that poor health leads to lower productivity and higher health insurance costs. 

As such, an increasing amount of companies are finding that the promotion of health, education, physical activity, and preventive measures in the workplace is beneficial both to the business and the individual employee. 

When it comes to navigating the implications of a wide range of health problems, the team at Blackwell Associates is highly experienced and well positioned to provide support and guidance to both companies and employees.. 

Call 028 9065 6131 to speak to a member of the team, or emailenquiries@blackwellassociates.co.uk.

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