Study links workforce health to community health

New York – Should employers extend their corporate health strategies to the surrounding community? New research suggests that a workforce’s health may have a direct relationship with the health of the community in which it is located.

In a study conducted by the Vitality Institute and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, researchers found that industries whose workers are more likely to be in poor health are also more likely to be located in U.S. counties with poor health.

For example, retail trade, manufacturing and public administration industry sectors (all industries with elevated health risks) were associated with a significantly higher likelihood of being in a county with a high risk factor for smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The researchers noted that employers could use local data to determine what types of programs are most needed and partner with local research and health organizations to gauge the impact of their efforts.