About
Dr. David Hunnicutt is President of The Wellness Councils of America, one of the nation’s leading organizations on workplace wellness.
Recent Posts
- C’mon Get Happy
- That’s Gonna Leave A Mark
- Don’t Just Do Something…Sit There
- Gray Matters
- In The Presence of Greatness
- Up In Smoke…
- Fat Chance
- Thinking Inside The Box
- Computerized Calls Get Sedentary Moving
- Why First Cousins Should Not Marry
Subscribe
Subscribe to RSS feed
Subscribe to Podcast
Subscribe by emailCategories
C’mon Get Happy
Gallup-Healthways Introduces a New Index That Measures The Overall Happiness Of Americans
A new poll measuring the daily levels of happiness and well-being among Americans has been developed and launched by the Gallup Organization and its partner Healthways, Inc. By interviewing 1,000 Americans each day in 2008, these organizations are providing much needed data concerning the happiness factor as it relates to the overall wellness quotient concerning personal health status.
The poll has the potential to influence how we look at such things as national policies, healthcare, and employment. In many ways, it’s been the missing link in the arena of population health improvement and this new data provides many exciting possibilities.
To learn more about the Happiness Index visit this link.
That’s Gonna Leave A Mark
New York Raises Taxes On Smokers–$2.75 Flat Tax Kicks In And Smoker’s Lash Out
New York State has raised the tax on a pack of cigarettes to $2.75–the highest rate of any state in the country. With the new tax law in effect, the total cost for a pack of cigarettes in New York State is somewhere between $6-$8 but depending on where you are purchasing them, the cost could be as high $10.
Needless to say, health officials and smokers are at odds over the issue. However, given the enormous economic burden associated with tobacco use, I don’t expect the tax to disappear any time soon. Indeed, some 400,000 Americans will die of tobacco-related causes this year alone–and if left unchecked, smoking will be the worst plague the history of mankind has ever known.
But for the 45 million U.S. citizens who currently smoke, the new tax is definitely going to leave a mark.
Don’t Just Do Something…Sit There
New Findings From Guardian Survey Reveal That Employees Believe In–But Don’t Often Use–Wellness Programs
In a recently issued press release, The Guardian Life Insurance Company reports that some two-thirds of US employees agree that wellness programs are very effective in promoting better health practices. However, actual participation is low–only 3 in 10 are stepping up to the plate–revealing that personal beliefs alone are not enough to get people to faithfully take part in a wellness program.
The findings of the report support a growing body of literature which documents a chasm between personal beliefs and regular participation. In response to these and other similar findings, employers are taking aggressive measures to implement incentives–both carrots and sticks–in getting employees to take a more active interest in protecting and enhancing their individual health status.
To obtain a copy of the report, visit this link.
Subscribe to RSS feed