SPL32 PROMOTING LONGEVITY BY MEANS OF ATOS (ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, OBESITY AND SLEEP): MEASURING, INTERVENING AND CONTROLLING MAJOR RISK FACTORS IN THE WORKPLACE
Authors: Barroso-Dias Jorge , Aguiar Pedro 
Published: July 2024

Promoting Longevity and more healthy years of life, by OH services

Active longevity is a topic that is often overlooked in occupational health and occupational medicine. However, extended active longevity and the reduction in age-related morbidity and mortality in working populations are everyone's wish.

It is only through proactive interventions during the active life of workers that we can hope to sustain longevity and good health in ageing workforces as well as retired workers.

Noncommunicable diseases are an important problem for Public Health and Occupational Health, causing 41 million premature deaths globally (71%), every year (WHO, 2018).

These include cardiovascular diseases, neoplasms, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, having as its main risk factors (concerning avoidable risk behaviors) hazardous alcohol consumption, tobacco consumption, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and sleep disorders.

Occupational Health services deals day by day with these important determinants of health that are related with avoidable risk behaviors, and produce mobility and mortality in workers, that also induce worse prognostic in occupational diseases.

How do we control these risky behaviors in the workplace?

Are these risk factors important in the worker populations we are responsible for?

What study and intervention models do we apply?

ATOS (Alcohol, Tobacco, Obesity and Sleep)

Supported by preliminary studies, and in the universal medical surveillance of municipal workers (over 10.000 workers in total), the Occupational Health services of the Municipality of Lisbon developed the "ATOS model - Occupational health surveillance for Alcohol, Tobacco, Obesity and Sleep" (OH indicators obtained by validated and internationally recommended tools) for control of major determinants of Public Health associated with the socioprofessional variables.

This strategy allowed partnerships with academic research centers for prospective longitudinal comparative studies of Public Health and Occupational Health.

This session intends to share the development of this model and its results.

Promotion of health and literacy in the workplace

“Health promotion is the process that allows people to increase control and improve their health.”

To achieve the objective of a “Healthy Work Environment” it is not enough to prevent work accidents, occupational diseases and control risk factors in the workplace, it is also necessary to include Health Promotion interventions and reach organizational contexts favorable conditions so that Work can promote good health indicators for individuals and subpopulations.

In this way, Health Promotion in the workplace also has positive externalities for the lives of workers after retirement, promoting not only healthy and active aging, but also longevity, increased quality of life and reduced mortality and Morbidity.

Measuring, Intervening and Controlling major risk factors in the workplace

This session proposes measuring Occupational Health indicators to define priorities for Prevention and Health Promotion interventions and determine their levels of effectiveness.

The social value and purpose of OSH services is also achieved through integrated and synergistic interventions that favor healthy work contexts and promote health in the workplace.