Chronic Illnesses: Morbidity And Mortality In The United States

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Chronic illnesses are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality within the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approximately one half of US adults have at least one chronic disease. About 7 out of 10 deaths in the US every year are due to chronic illness. It is well-known and documented that poor health behaviors, such as, poor diet, lack of physical activity, and smoking lead to the development of most of these illnesses. Thus, many of these illnesses are preventable and manageable with the institution of appropriate lifestyle changes. From a public health standpoint, it is paramount that the communities and employers provide adequate support in order to promote healthy living and behaviors.
A large proportion of the
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As an employer, it is beneficial to ensure that your employees are as healthy as possible. This limits the amount of money lost to time out of work, as well as, the costs of insurance coverages. Therefore, employers should work to ensure that their employees are practicing healthy behaviors by providing a certain level of support. A study by Mattke et al. (2013) identified five different factors that led to a successful wellness program. The first is communication strategy. Employers must use appropriate methods to promote the wellness program to their employees. Meyers (2010) highlights the effectiveness of using message framing to promote healthy behaviors. Using this technique, employers should focus on the benefits of healthy living to convince employees to participate in wellness programs and make appropriate behavioral changes. The second factor is engagement opportunities. A work wellness program should be