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Med. Pr. 2003;54(3)

HEALTH PROMOTION:BENEFITS AND OBSTACLES AS PERCEIVED BY OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE PHYSICIANS IN POLAND (p. 207-214)

KORZYŚCI ORAZ PRZESZKODY ZWIĄZANE Z PROMOCJĄ ZDROWIA W śWIADOMOśCI LEKARZY MEDYCYNY PRACY W POLSCE (ss. 207-214)

Krzysztof Puchalski Z Zakładu Organizacji Ochrony Zdrowia Instytutu Medycyny Pracy im. J. Nofera w Łodzi

Abstract

This article presents the views of occupational medicine (OM) physicians concerning the following: (a) whether OM physicians should be involved in workplace health promotion; (b) whether they can benefit (if so in what way) from involvement in this activity; (c) whether they find the existing conditions favorable for launching health promotion projects;(d) what are the major obstacles'
This paper is based on a survey carried out in the fall of 2002 in a group of 325 OM specialists who attend largegroups of patients.
Over 90% of the respondents believe that OM physicians should be involved in health promotion, however, one third of them do not plan any action in this field in the following year.
Among the key benefits from health promotion, health gain is indicated by 80% of OM physicians. Only a few respondents perceive their involvement in health promotion as an opportunity to be more competitive in health service market,thereby to increase their income. None of those interviewed thought that involvement in health promotion win them greater respect among peers.
Almost 80% of the respondents complained about unfavorable conditions for carrying out workplace health promotion. As the most significant obstacles they reported the lack of interest in health promotion among employers (86% of respondents), unsatisfactory gratification (76%), limited skill to raise funds for health promotion (64%), limited opportunities to advance education in this field (59%), and the lack of interestin health promotion among employees (57%).
In general, OM physicians express their willingness to advance their knowledge of health promotion, although 64% of respondents are convinced that they are well trained in this area. According to the respondents,a proper way to promote health is not only to become very active, but to commit employers to assure the development of health promotion at workplace and to allocate more funds for health promotion projects.

Key words

workplace health promotion, attitudes of occupational medicine physicians, determinants of workplace health promotion