Chronic disease management support in Australian workplaces—low base, rising need

Abstract

Issue addressed This study investigates the current nature, levels and perceived need for workplace support among mature age Australian workers with chronic illness. Methods A cross‐sectional population survey was conducted via a double opt‐in panel sample of Australian workers aged 45 years and older with one or more of six major chronic diseases (diabetes and/or chronic heart, kidney, lung, mental health and/or musculoskeletal conditions). Results Three hundred and fourteen respondents reported being in the workforce and having at least one of the chronic conditions under investigation, of which almost one third reported having more than one of the conditions. The findings reveal a number of considerable gaps in Australian workplace support for employees 45 years and older with chronic illness, including workplace flexibility, supportive policies and co‐worker support. Conclusions This research adds to a scarce existing literature base on workplace support for workers with chronic illness in Australia. Future research is needed to identify opportunities for effective public policy and implementation of workplace interventions to better support this cohort. So what? If timely progress is not made in this area, the projected increase in the aged population and scheduled public policy changes impacting retirement age will multiply potential adverse effects on the health of employees with chronic illness and Australia's labour market productivity.

Lower workforce participation is associated with more severe persisting breathlessness

“…The environment and flexibility of workplaces together with the support of the supervisors and colleagues impacts on people’s ability and willingness to participate in the workforce when they have chronic or progressive illnesses [ 10 , 42 ]. Employers have responsibilities to their workforces to take reasonable steps to facilitate continuing workforce participation in the face of disabilities such as persisting breathlessness.…”

“…Meaningful workforce participation may contribute to a person’s health and wellbeing, including mental health [ 6 – 8 ] by impacting on people’s personal and social identities. People unable to work due to poor health often experience negative social and financial consequences [ 5 , 9 , 10 ] reflected in changing family roles, inability to maintain usual social functioning and lower incomes [ 11 ]. Optimising wellbeing by addressing avoidable causes of poor health is a fundamental aim of health systems which, in turn, may improve people’s workforce participation.…”

Rehabilitating workers aged 55 and over: professionals’ perspectives and solutions

“…These fears may also mean that aging workers are reluctant to request work accommodations from their employers [19,20]. Within the organization, some studies recognize that workplaces offer less support to older workers than to younger workers when they return to work, and hence, fewer possibilities of work accommodations [14,16,18,21]. Yet many studies show that providing accommodations in the workplace is a key factor in a successful return to work, particularly for aging workers [14,19].…”

How back pain influences daily activities and quality of life: Incidence of back pain related to age

“… 2 This health issue is usually attributed to the adult population and affects the global socioeconomic systems causing premature retirement more frequently than hypertension, heart disease, neoplasm, respiratory disease, diabetes, and asthma combined. 3 On the other hand, in the previous years, the importance of LBP in pediatric population was depreciated and associated usually with severe underlying diseases like tumors or inflammation. Field surveys, on the contrary, have shown that cumulative life prevalence of pediatric LBP can be comparable to the prevalence data for adult populations.…”