Chronic Disease
Why Employers Care
According to the World Health Organization, chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, are by far the leading cause of mortality in the world, representing 60% of all deaths. Out of the 35 million people who died from chronic disease in 2005, half were under 70 and half were women.
Globally, chronic conditions are on the rise. Due to public health successes, populations are ageing and increasingly people are living with one or more chronic conditions for decades. Urbanization, adoption of unhealthy lifestyles, and the global marketing of health risks such as tobacco, are other factors contributing to an increase. Not only will chronic conditions be the leading cause of disability throughout the world by the year 2020; if not successfully managed, they will become the most expensive problems faced by individuals, employers, health care systems, and governments.
What Can Employers Do?
The most important risk factors for chronic disease are largely preventable and include poor diet, tobacco use, and reduced physical activity. Many employers have highly developed wellness and disease management programs to address these risk factors in their US populations and increasingly, multinational corporations are offering programs in other countries. Outside the US, organizations' top wellness priorities are to reduce absence and improve employee productivity, morale and safety. Fastest growing wellness program elements vary by region throughout the world but include health portals, onsite healthy lifestyle classes, and health fairs.
Global Health Benefits Institute Resources
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