Chronic Diseases and the Workplace: Balancing Work and Health

Asthma is a respiratory condition, not a chronic disease.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for about 655,000 deaths each year.

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity are all risk factors for heart disease.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, accounting for about 130,000 deaths each year.

Smoking, obesity, and exposure to asbestos are all risk factors for cancer.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death from diabetes, accounting for about 68% of deaths.

Obesity, physical inactivity, and family history of diabetes are all risk factors for diabetes.

COPD is the leading cause of death from chronic lower respiratory diseases, accounting for about 120,000 deaths each year.

Smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke, and exposure to air pollution are all risk factors for COPD.

Eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and not smoking are all important ways to prevent chronic diseases.

Taking medication, making lifestyle changes, and joining a support group are all important ways to manage chronic diseases.

Providing health insurance, offering flexible work arrangements, and creating a supportive work environment can all help employers help employees with chronic diseases.

Stigma and discrimination, difficulty finding work, and difficulty keeping a job are all challenges that employees with chronic diseases face in the workplace.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) are all resources available to help employees with chronic diseases in the workplace.

Setting priorities, taking breaks, and delegating tasks are all important ways to balance work and health.