Health promotion in the workplace: a systematic review of the literature

Objective: To recognize the current trends in the implementation of health promotionprograms in workplaces, according to the literature, investigating whether these programsfollow the recommendations of the World Health Organization. Methods: A systematicreview of the literature was undertaken seeking theoretical or practical issues relatedto health promotion in workplaces, using the following descriptors: health promotion,workplace, working environment, work, smoking, tobacco use cessation, alcoholism, feeding,motor activity, counseling, health profile, routine diagnostic tests, health status indicators,indicators, preventive medicine, transtheoretical model, triage e absenteeism. Articles inPortuguese, English and Spanish, from 2000 to 2009 and from PUBMED, BIREME andSCIELO databases were included in the study. Results: The 95 selected articles wereclassified according to the studied topics and the main focus of their interventions. Theoverall results of this analysis show the importance of proper planning, evaluation of resultsto correct any failure of execution and of mixing individual and organizational interventionsto optimize results. Conclusions: Scientific publications dealing with actions of HealthPromotion at workplace are found in good number, comprising the major theoretical andpractical aspects related to their implementation. Nevertheless, few studies are carried out byteams of Occupational Health and health managers of companies, with great predominanceof essays performed by professionals involved in the academic area.