Introduction
Heart disease and stroke have a significant impact on my company. Approximately 20% of the staff have negative behaviors related to workplace burnout, overeating, and infrequent exercise. Employees of various ages may be at risk. As a result, a large number of employees may be hospitalized at any time, requiring rapid staff replacement. In addition, if something occurs to an employee on the job, inquiries or claims may be filed with the insurance provider, resulting in significant financial loss.
Strategies to Address Risks of Heart Disease and Stroke
Feigin et al.’s Perspective
The article examines the two main strategies being used today to combat heart disease and stroke: the “high-risk” strategy and the population “mass” strategy (Feigin et al., 2020). The article begins by stating that academics continue to debate which of these methods is more effective. The “high-risk” strategy suggests that preventive measures will focus mainly on people at risk. Scientists believe that making drugs more affordable for those at risk will decrease the number of people who become ill, thereby lowering the number of deaths from heart disease and stroke (Feigin et al., 2020, p. 6). Many people disagree with this because the risk group is frequently defined incorrectly.
As a result, the population “mass” strategy reaches millions of people. It is primarily focused on informing people of all ages about the value of screening, the dangers of cigarette smoking, consuming too much sugar and fatty foods, and introducing the concepts of a healthy lifestyle through sports. The authors believe that while the “high-risk” strategy appears effective, it captures only a small portion of the overall problem (Feigin et al., 2020).
However, the “mass” strategy could contribute to lowering the overall incidence of heart disease and stroke among the elderly, middle-aged, and young. These strategies prevent other diseases, including “dementia, diabetes mellitus, cancer, and pulmonary diseases” (Feigin et al., 2020, p. 6). The researchers think preventive measures ought to be able to track statistics while also being age-sensitive.
Owolabi et al.’s Insights
The second article discusses stroke prevention strategies. The authors of the paper also suggest a strategy to raise public consciousness, as well as personalized strategies for each individual (Owolabi et al., 2022). The article discusses the possibility of introducing heart disease education in schools and other educational institutions, as well as instilling healthy lifestyle habits and positive behaviors at young ages to reduce the risk of developing heart disease (Owolabi et al., 2022).
The researchers believe that additional efforts should be made to bring together medical professionals, government agencies, and private organizations to develop more effective preventive strategies. Educational companies could develop such strategies that consider different backgrounds, communities, races, “beliefs, geographic differences, and risk of stroke across the lifespan” (Owolabi et al., 2022, p. 82). According to the authors, many people would benefit from funding such programs, as they could save countless lives and increase revenue.
Conclusion
In general, there are two strategies: the “high-risk” and the “mass” ones. The first entails increasing consciousness within a group of people who are at risk due to age, smoking, or alcoholism, potentially making medicines cheaper, and providing access to screening. Still, this company must adopt a population health strategy, including disease-related seminars, and provide research and employee testing.
It is also possible to create educational posters, leaflets, and mailings. Develop no-cost opportunities for every worker to participate in workplace sports, issue free swimming pool certificates, or organize a group trip. The disadvantage of these methods is that they are quite expensive, but they will generate much more money in the future. On the plus side, staff will be less likely to become ill and use long-term sick leave, and they will experience less burnout because they will know they are cared for at work.
References
Feigin, V. L., Brainin, M., Norrving, B., Gorelick, P. B., Dichgans, M., Wang, W.,… & Hankey, G. J. (2020). What is the best mix of population‐wide and high‐risk targeted strategies of primary stroke and cardiovascular disease prevention? Journal of the American Heart Association, 9(3), 1-10.
Owolabi, M. O., Thrift, A. G., Mahal, A., Ishida, M., Martins, S., Johnson, W. D., Pandian, J., Abd-Allah, F., Yaria, J., Phan, H. T., Roth, G., Gall, S. L., Beare, R., Phan, T. G., Mikulik, R., Akinyemi, R. O., Norrving, B., Brainin, M., Feigin, V. L.,… & Shobhana, A. (2022). Primary stroke prevention worldwide: translating evidence into action. The Lancet Public Health, 7(1).