Perspectives for Workplace Health Promotion in Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract

The Latin American and Caribbean region is witnessing the emergence of discussion on workplace health promotion (WHP). The authors propose WHP as an equitable collective action targeting primarily work hazards and their determinants. It has its economic-political "macro" level and a downstream "micro" level. On the macro level, neoliberalism, privatization, and deregulation threaten equitable health and labor issues. Effective labor and health legislation and a fair degree of social redistribution of resources support WHP. Micro-scale WHP is important for contextual reasons and social diffusion, and can literally save lives. Worker involvement, free association of workers, public health affiliation, the precautionary principle, sensitization and training, employer responsibility for healthy working conditions, coalitions between workers and health professionals, and preference for reduction of direct work hazards over modification of personal lifestyles are basic tenets of WHP.

Research challenges in occupational and environmental medicine until 2030

“…Can they be efficiently applied also to the service sector? What strategies should be tried in the informal sector?6 Which strategies should be followed in the rapidly developing economies?…”