Money isn’t everything, but when it comes to your health, it may matter more than you think.
New findings by the Harvard School of Public Health point to a correlation between the condition of the economy and the physical health of people with chronic medical conditions.
It seems that the economic downturn has many Americans feeling worse, citing increased stress levels due to health care expenses they can’t afford.
Specifically, people with heart disease, cancer, and diabetes said they feel negatively affected by the economy and think that it will continue to harm their health in the future.
Managing a chronic illness is challenging even under the best of circumstances; adding to it financial worries only compounds their day-to-day struggles.
The poll found that many people with these conditions have gone into credit card debt to cover their medical expenses.
Other findings show that monetary concerns are causing people with chronic illnesses to skip or delay appointments and neglect the recommended treatments or dietary regulations set forth by their health care providers.
A smaller but still notable percentage of these patients have been forced to declare bankruptcy due in large part to their overwhelming medical bills.
Understanding the needs and stressors of staff members who struggle with chronic illness is an important part of helping them manage.
Encourage open communication with these employees to determine how you can best assist them in finding coping mechanisms.
Focus on stress management as a way of alleviating the emotional burden that can have a real physical affect on the body, and continue to tout the benefits of physical activity, healthy diet, and work/life balance.
While you can’t make your sick employees’ medical bills disappear, your moral and managerial support can make a big difference in the stress that can exacerbate existing medical problems.