Life Expectancy Of Severely Mentally Ill Dramatically Reduced Due To Poor Physical Health
In a study of almost 800 patients with severe mental illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, two-thirds were found to be overweight or obese, and a disproportionate number suffered from diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and raised cholesterol. The results of the two-year project in Kent are published today in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Psychiatry. During the study, the researchers introduced a Wellbeing Support Programme and trained more than 200 mental health nurses in its use. The physical health of 782 patients (mostly white, male and in their late 30s) was screened as part of the programme and appropriate intervention offered. The findings of the screening programme revealed...
Mental Health Awareness Program at APM
Psychologically healthy workplace benefits employer, staff
More and more organizational leaders are accepting responsibility for building and maintaining a psychologically healthy workplace. They now have proof that employee productivity leads to increased profitability. They have proof that employee well-being and early return-to-work programs after an injury are cost effective and boost worker self-esteem. Leaders now see that investing in employee development not only builds capacity, but acts as an effective recruitment and retention tool for talented candidates.Finally, these leaders and organizations know and understand that creating a workplace culture that engages the hearts, minds, emotions and spirit of their people will result in a psychologically healthy workplace with its multiple spinoff benefits. To encourage organizations to build psychologically healthy workplaces, to reward leaders who achieve this success and to educate others, the American Psychological Association (APA) and its Canadian counterparts have identified five key areas that contribute to a healthy and productive workplace. These include the following: employee involvement, work/life balance, employee growth and development, health and safety and employee recognition.
Employee Health and Wellness Services at APM
Obese tipped to overtake healthy
BY 2025 the number of obese Australians will surpass those of healthy weight, according to epidemiologists who have calculated the nation's future weight gain based on the rate we stacked on the kilograms between 2000 and 2005. Only about 28 per cent of adults would be at a healthy weight in 2025 but nearly 34 per cent would be obese, said study leader Helen Walls, a research fellow at Monash University. Dr Walls used data from nearly 6300 people collected as part of the landmark Australian Diabetes Obesity and Lifestyle Study to predict the scale of the obesity epidemic. While the percentage of people who were overweight was expected to remain steady - about 38 per cent - over the 25-year period the numbers of obese would swell.
Healthy Diet Tips
Work-related injury or illness down, men still at most risk
The number of people experiencing a work-related injury or illness has declined, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). In 2009-10, about 640,700 people (5.3% of the 12 million people employed at some time in the last 12 months) experienced a work-related injury or illness, compared with 690,000 (6.4%) in 2005-06. Overall, of the people who worked at some time in the last 12 months, men were still more likely to experience a work-related injury or illness at 55 per 1,000 men (down from 74 per 1,000 in 2005-06) than women at 51 per 1,000 women (same rate as in 2005-06). More than half of people who experienced a work-related injury or illness were men (56%). The highest rates of work-related injury or illness were experienced in the 45-49 year age group (74 per 1,000 men and 70 per 1,000 women). However, the decrease in the rates of incidence of work-related injuries were highest for young men. The most commonly reported injuries or illnesses were sprains and strains (30%), followed by chronic joint or muscle conditions (18%), and cuts or open wounds (16%).
Injury Management and Injury prevention at APM
MSK symptoms and hand-held devices
If you use a hand-held device such as a BlackBerry or an iPod, do you experience hand or neck pain? If you answered, "yes," you're likely not alone. About 85 per cent of people who took part in a small study reported pain in at least one body part, particularly in the hand, neck and shoulder areas. "This result suggests that hand-held devices may contribute to musculoskeletal symptoms or disorders (MSDs)," says Institute for Work & Health Scientific Director Dr. Benjamin Amick, who co-authored the study along with Dr. Richard Wells, the project's principal investigator, and Sophia Berolo, both of the University of Waterloo. The study's results are published in Applied Ergonomics 2010 (doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2010.08.010). MSDs - pain in the muscles, tendons and other soft tissues - account for more than 40 per cent of all lost-time compensation claims in Ontario. Preventing these conditions can help workplaces to reduce costs and improve productivity.
Prevent Repetitive Strain Injuries
Worrying about your heart is good for you
Heart attack patients who worry about their condition are more likely to survive than those who are not so anxious, new research says. A study by Australia's Black Dog Institute, which specialises in mood disorders and depression, found worrying was normal and constructive. Gordon Parker, executive director of the institute, said people with general anxiety disorder were commonly told to "stop worrying" in case they "worry themselves to their grave". But a study of almost 500 in hospital with acute coronary syndrome challenged the more commonly published medical findings that patients with anxiety and depression in these cases were worse off. The study was first published in the US under the title: The Impact of Differing Anxiety Disorders on Outcome Following an Acute Coronary Syndrome; Time to Start Worrying.
Stress Management Tips
Leading indicators may pinpoint positive differences in OHS practices
The Institute for Work & Health is currently conducting a number of studies that may provide important insights on "leading indicators." The results from these studies will support efforts to improve the way Ontario firms manage their occupational health and safety programs. (...) Institute for Work & Health (IWH) Scientific Director Dr. Benjamin Amick believes that, in the not-too-distant future, firms may be able to take evidence on leading indicators of work injury and illness and implement programs, policies and practices that could markedly reduce work injury rates. (...) "Our scientists are tackling several major research projects on leading indicators, hoping to glean information that could help firms achieve fewer worker injuries, improve productivity and decrease workers' compensation costs," Amick says. "The research may help firms target resources and interventions to drive down injury rates."
OHS Systems Development at APM
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