Global Perspectives in Workplace Health Promotion

Healthcare systems worldwide are facing intense cost pressures due to the increase in chronic disease and unhealthy lifestyles, e.g., obesity, physical inactivity, and work-related stress. Coupled with growing demands for increased productivity in the competitive global marketplace national and multinational employers as well as most national governments are increasingly recognizing the fact that a more proactive and systematic approach to promoting employee health is required.

This book highlights how 21 key countries are addressing these challenges by focusing on the following areas regarding workplace health promotion: prevailing health issues and risk behaviors, existing healthcare systems, historical and cultural influences on both physical and mental health, key drivers for establishing global workplace health promotion programs, examples of best practices, key outcomes and success indicators, and existing research findings.

'Wolf Kirsten is Founder and President of International Health Consulting based in Berlin, Germany (www.wolfkirsten.com).'His company mission is to help international corporations, organizations and governments improve the quality of life of their respective population through innovative, culturally appropriate, and cost-effective health promotion programs. Mr. Kirsten has published and edited extensively on the global aspects of health promotion in various international publications.'He has assisted numerous international corporations with the implementation and coordination of their health promotion programs.'His consulting portfolio extends from China to North America and Europe to the Middle East, advising companies such as Nokia, Johnson & Johnson, Cisco, and Saudi Aramco.'He also advised the Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Bahrain and crafted a national health promotion strategy.'Mr. Kirsten teaches post graduate courses in health promotion at the Freie Universität in Berlin and the Hochschule Magdeburg and is a sought after speaker and trainer.'''''''' He is the co-founder and board member of the International Institute for Health Promotion (IIHP), which he managed for eight years in Washington, DC, and on the board of the International Association of Worksite Health Promotion (IAWHP).Mr. Kirsten received his Master of Science in Health Promotion Management and graduated Magna Cum Laude from American University in Washington, DC.'He is a German native and lived many years abroad (United States, England, and China).

'Dr. Karch is a Professor in the School of Education, Teaching and Health at American University in Washington DC. and brings more than thirty years of academic leadership experience, extensive project management expertise, and a wealth of real world business acumen to any project he undertakes (www.bobkarch.com).'' His well established and award winning record for innovative academic program development in the areas of Health Promotion Management and Chronic Disease Interventions are perhaps unparalleled in higher education. To date more than 400 students have received their Master of Science Degree in Health Promotion Management from the innovative interdisciplinary graduate program that Professor Karch created and established at American University in 1980.'Moreover, his professional work, both nationally as well as internationally, has greatly contributed to the advancement of knowledge with respect to not only the social, environmental, cultural, and organizational aspects of health promotion, but also the role and importance of self empowerment of employees within work place settings.Aside from directing the MS program he also teaches the cap-stone courses for the MS, Strategic Planning for Health Promotion and Critical Issues in Health Promotion, as well as a course in Global Health and Global Health Policy.'Professor Karch is also the Founder and Executive Director of the National Center for Health and Fitness (Established in 1980) and the International Institute for Health Promotion (Established in 1996) at American University.With respect to Professor Karch's experience as a Principal Investigator, over the past twenty five years, he has been the PI on more than a dozen projects with a combined value in excess of $28 million dollars.'All of those projects directly focused on changing and then sustaining health related behaviors in human subjects and in many of those studies, Dr. Karch and his research colleagues applied advanced financial models to statistically significant outcomes so as to document the financial return on such program investments.'Perhaps more that any other academician, over the past 25 years, Professor Karch has lectured, given keynote addresses, scholarly papers, conducted intense training courses and consultative services for corporations, governmental agencies, and private sector groups in dozens of countries throughout the world.Professor, School of Education, Teaching, and Health, Director of the MS Program in Health Promotion Management -'Executive Director of the National Center for Health Fitness and the International Institute for Health PromotionAmerican University, Washington, DC, USA