At its third and final field hearing, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America heard testimony from more than a dozen experts about how workplace wellness initiatives, working conditions and benefits provided through the workplace affect health. Lt. Governor Barbara O’Brien opened the hearing, where a broad range of local and national employers and leaders provided testimony about workplace programs and policies that are making positive differences in the health of employees. State Senator Nancy Spence opened the public comment period with introductory remarks.

The 14-member national, independent, nonpartisan Commission is investigating how factors outside the health care system such as work, education, housing and community resources affect opportunities to lead healthy lives. Commission members include former senior administration officials Mark B. McClellan and Alice M. Rivlin, who are its co-chairs. The Commission is scheduled to issue recommendations in April 2009.

As part of the hearing, the Commission released data showing dramatic differences in how long Colorado residents can expect to live depending on the county in which they live. For example, the average life expectancy for people living in Denver County is 75.9 years, but just two counties away in Park County life expectancy increases by 5.4 years. Written testimony and a webcast of the Denver field hearing event are available on the Commission Web site at www.commissiononhealth.org.

On average, American adults spend nearly half of their waking hours at work—a number that has steadily increased over the past three decades. We know that how we work, where we work and if we work have a tremendous influence on how healthy we are. Research also shows that a person’s overall work environment—including pay, benefits such as health insurance and paid time off, balance between work and family life, job security and job-related stress—are vital factors affecting overall health.   

The Commission chose Denver because the city has many successful workplace programs and policies that make it easier for employees to lead healthier lives. Organizations that provided testimony at the hearing included:

• America On The Move/Colorado On The Move, an initiative that promotes healthy eating by offering free Web-based programs, tools and resources to help workplace and other groups and individuals manage weight, improve health and reduce risk of illness while boosting energy and morale.
• Scott's Liquid Gold, Inc., a Denver-based manufacturing and distribution company of household and skin care products with 67 employees. In 2003, Scott’s Liquid Gold entered Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program and in 2007 was recognized as an exemplary employee safety and health program, receiving a “star” rating – the highest level of recognition that OSHA offers. Scott’s employees serve as mentors and leaders for other workplaces interested in improving their health and safety programs.
• General Mills, which created the General Mills TriHealthalon to create a healthier work environment for General Mills sales employees. The program has successfully reduced cholesterol and smoking rates and increased activity levels and seat belt use for participants over a 20-year period. TheGeneral Mills Total You program gives employees convenient access to services that enhance both health and quality of life, such as an on-site fitness center, healthy cooking classes and same-day medical appointments at the company’s health services department. General Mills Health Number is a personalized health risk assessment tool that can help employees identify health risks, motivate healthy lifestyle changes and learn about health and wellness resources.
• Experience Corps®, a program that works to solve serious social problems by placing adults over 55 in urban public schools and after-school programs to mentor and tutor children, teaching them to read and develop the confidence and skills to succeed in school and in life. The program is active in 19 cities and has 2,000 corps members. Research shows that Experience Corps boosts overall health for Experience Corps members including physical activity, strength and cognitive ability. These areas of improvement shown by Experience Corps members are important predictors of health outcomes in later life, including disability and dementia.

The Commission held its first field hearing in Raleigh, N.C., in June 2008 to learn more about early childhood development. A large body of research shows that brain, cognitive and behavioral development early in life are strongly linked to health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, drug use and depression. The second hearing, held in Philadelphia in October 2008, explored how social and economic conditions of neighborhoods are linked with a range of health conditions, including mortality, overall health status, chronic conditions, health behaviors, disability, mental health, birth outcomes, injuries and violence. The Commission will issue recommendations in April 2009 on ways to improve health for all Americans.