Promoting Health is defined by the World
Health Organisation (WHO) as “the process
that enables people to increase control of
their health”.
Promoting Health (PH) encourages chan-
ges in the environment that help to promo-
te and protect health. It is a global concept
that implies the involvement of individuals,
organisations, communities and institutions
that collaborate to create the conditions
that guarantee the wellbeing of everybody.
Health is not just a synonym for the abs-
ence of diseases. Being healthy implies a
permanent state of emotional, physical,
and mental wellbeing, something that we
should strive for to improve the quality of
Promoting
Health
By:
Dr. Silvia Montes Fernández
Physician specialising in Occu-
pational Health – FCC Medical
Department
our life. Knowing how to take of our health
is essential for living a better and a happier
life.
The programs and projects developed in di-
fferent surroundings: educational, medical,
community, and at work.
Common effort
When we speak about Promoting Health at
the Work Place, we refer to the common
efforts of businessmen and workers to im-
prove welfare at the work place and, se-
condarily, global health. Promoting Health
is much more than merely complying with
legal requisites on Safety and Health. It im-
plies that companies must contribute acti-
vely to improve the health of its workers.
This clearly has a positive impact on the
company. Studies that have been carried
out in various European countries and in
the United States show that Health Pro-
motion programs decrease the direct costs
associated with medical care, and also pre-
vent absenteeism due to sickness, reduce
personnel turnover, and accidents at work.
This evidence is increasingly more solid and
companies should not ignore it, especially
if they want to be sustainable and compe-
titive. Improving the health of workers does
not have to be expensive for the employers
and the benefits are multiple, for the com-
pany and for workers.
The idea is to act comprehensively; protec-
ting employees from specific risks related
directly to their activity, and, encouraging
the creation of healthy work places that
make it possible for the worker to acquire
and maintain good habits.
These measures are aimed at improving
work conditions and surroundings, physical
Being healthy
implies a permanent
state of physical and
mental wellbeing
