User:Jeslyndv/Workplace health promotion

Low Wage Industries and Employees
Approximately half of employees in the United States are employed by small (less than 1000), low wage industries. However, less than 10 percent offer wellness health promotion programs due to lack of financial resource, time and hesitations rooting from investment return. Work health promotion aims to provide better wellbeing to all workers, however, due to economic and social barriers a disproportionate amount of low wage workers are not included in studies regarding employee health promotion.

A 2015 study in Seattle/King County metropolitan area, low wage workers compared to high-earning workers have strong links regarding risky health behaviors. Risky health behaviors are recognized as tobacco use, poor nutrition and sedentary lifestyle which then are factors contributing to chronic disease. This then highlights disproportionate rates of chronic diseases within low-wage earning employees compared to higher socioeconomic earners. It was also revealed in the Seattle/King County metropolitan area study how although the impact of chronic disease are prevalent in low-wage workers, high earners are the group who are more inclined in participating in work health promotion. Low wage industries were found to have barriers including awareness, working conditions, and management.

The largest debate in the Seattle/King County study rooted from the issue of cost. The first cost revealed is the economic financial incentive. Whereby low wage industries examine the importance of investment return. Small companies debate the issue of whether the outcomes of worker health promotion are worthy of investment or labeled as 'organizational priority.'  In addition to the importance of profit, is the cost of employee privacy. Human resources managers in the study voiced their issue on privacy and the importance of keeping personal health matters separate from work and their workers.

In addition to high rates of chronic diseases in low wage workers, there are also high rates of morbidity and mortality and hazardous environment exposure because of both socioeconomic and racial disparities. Both gender and racial discrimination are linked to lower wage workers, where women and ethnic minorities contribute to low wage earner statistics. Due to complexities of the environments and workspaces of individual workers with different gender and races, there is a decrease in participants within groups of low-wage workers in worker health promotion programs. Complexities vary to low wage earners contributing to largely part-time earners, wage and benefits distribution, and hazardous field of work.

Suggestions to improve worker participation in low wage industries include convenience and better access. To create worksite vaccinations and healthy diet options, increases the participation for preventive care in these industries. An important factor to access on preventive or worker health promotion programs in low wage industries correlate to better health insurance coverage. The extension and improvement of the Affordable Care Act raises the incentive for both employees and employers to participate in preventive programs. Extension to both full time and part time employees, increases coverage for hazardous work environments, and demographic equity.