Abstract
Created to benefit workers and enhance worker well-being by encouraging the design of work and employment conditions, the Total Worker Health (TWH) program was created by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2016. NIOSH partners with labor, industry, academia, government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, professional organizations, and other stakeholders located in the United States and internationally. Collaboratively, they move forward the initiatives of TWH to advance and have collaborative research and identify priorities in moving the initiative forward (CDC, 2021b). NIOSH funds 10 academic research centers of excellence across the United States to assist in the integration of TWH policies, programs, and practices that will prioritize safety and improve physical and psychological outcomes (CDC, 2021b).
In addition to the Centers for Excellence (Figure 1), NIOSH has encouraged nonprofit institutions conducting TWH-related research; labor organizations; federal, state, and local government agencies; and nonprofit professional or membership associations that are engaged in worker safety, health, or well-being (CDC, 2022). In 2016, the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) signed on as a TWH and affiliate, and now there are more than 54 organizations as affiliate members. Olszewski et al. (2021) conducted a research study with AAOHN membership. Findings of this research study indicated that most occupational health professionals (OHPs) know about TWH, but generally have not adopted the TWH concept at their worksites. However, they are open to implementing TWH programs and have favorable attitudes toward change.
NIOSH Centers for Excellence for Total Worker Health.
OHPs can be transformational change leaders by embracing the concept of TWH and integrating TWH programs within their organizations (Olszewski et al., 2021). There are many TWH resources available within the NIOSH TWH webpage to begin the process of TWH program implementation: resources, such as organizational assessment and evaluation tools, to assist in benchmarking an organization’s readiness, and tools to assist in making the business case on why the initiatives would be implemented. The Fundamentals of TWH Approaches Workbook is a great tool for getting started (CDC, 2021a).
OHPs need to begin networking with peers and other like organizations to determine best practices and achieve ideas on program implementation. AAOHN has focused interest groups and the “Ask It” forum to begin the networking process. Consider being the leader of TWH within your organization.
