Implementing a Healthy Heart Program for Oilfield Personnel

Abstract

Health problems faced by employees in the oilfield sector broaden to common and prevalent pathologies that have a higher incidence than in the general population, such as overweight, dyslipidemia (elevation of the lipids in the blood), blood hypertension, and high psychological stress levels, among others.Some of these health problems have clear modifiable factors, for which is possible to effectively intervene in a low-cost manner, obtaining a short-term positive outcome.Medical problems resulting from inadequate eating habits and lack of opportunities to develop a regular physical activity program, particularly in field operations, make overweight and obesity and hyperlipidemias constitute a main biological risk factor for people working in this industry.Health statistics from a multinational oilfield services company operating in Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador show that one out of two employees presents a high cardiovascular risk as a result of these factors. This paper discusses the initiatives taken to reduce this specific cardiovascular risk at the oilfield services company. The Healthy Heart program focused on two of the factors noted: healthy eating habits and regular physical activity.Some of the strategies implemented to achieve both nutritional and physical goals are analyzed. This paper discusses potential benefits for employees and the company: for personnel, implementing healthy, useful and motivating strategies, and for the company, investing in low-cost approaches to control potential expenditure associated with problems derived from these diseases and their biological, psychosocial, and economic consequences.The paper discusses the initial results and benefits of the Healthy Heart program.