Health programs are interventions intended to change behavior or enhance the health of populations and individuals. They are often characterized by their emphasis on prevention of disease, injury, and disability through education, research and public health policies and practices. They are also characterized by their broad range of community-based activities aimed at addressing social, economic and cultural factors that influence health behaviors and outcomes. These include promoting healthy lifestyles and safe communities, providing early and adequate treatment for illness, and ensuring that health care resources are used efficiently and effectively.
There are many limitations to the effectiveness of health improvement initiatives, including financial and human resources, infrastructure, health care system quality and capacity, and behavioral change. A common challenge of health programs is how to scale them, a process whereby program components are expanded or modified to reach larger numbers of people. Scalability requires careful consideration of the costs and benefits of the interventions as well as practical limits on financial resources, time, and human capacity.
Workplace health programs are designed to improve employees’ physical and mental health through education, exercise, and nutrition programs, and by reducing exposure to occupational hazards. They can also help reduce workplace injuries and illnesses, and lower employer health care costs.
These programs are a key part of any health and safety system, incorporating best practice principles in the areas of risk assessment, planning, monitoring, control, and review. They can be used in a wide variety of settings, from schools and universities to the workplace and medical care facilities.
They are a critical tool in advancing scientific understanding of the causes and consequences of illness and injury. This includes identifying, quantifying and communicating health threats to the public, developing interventions to prevent or reduce those risks, and implementing those interventions.
A defining feature of the field of public health is its singular focus on maximizing health so that society can achieve its most cherished values: that children are born healthy and grow up to be productive, that families are strong and stable, that workers have the ability to meet their family’s needs, and that all citizens can enjoy life with dignity as they age.
Mercer’s 2023 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans (NSEPHP) shows that employers continue to offer a range of health and wellness programs, with the proportion of programs focused on hypertension, child health, and chronic conditions like diabetes continuing to grow. The number of programs offering point solutions – for example, programs that target specific conditions, such as diabetic eye screening or foot care – has increased.
Health education is an important component of public health programs, and has been shown to have a positive impact on the overall population’s level of knowledge and behavior. For example, one study showed that high school students who participated in a health education program were more likely to report cautious behavior when confronted by potentially infectious individuals. The program also had a positive effect on their academic performance.