Advances in Occupational Health: From a Stressful Beginning to a Positive Future †

Abstract

The authors briefly review the literature on occupational health, including occupational medicine, occupational health psychology, and occupational safety, framing the current convergence of these from their scientific origins in preventive medicine and its most basic science of epidemiology, in psychology, and in engineering. They give attention to the burden of suffering, which concerns issues of morbidity and mortality within a population group, and consider both the economic and humanitarian perspectives of the burden of suffering, which may occur within a working population as a result of poor occupational health. The authors see reason for optimism for the future and identify two sets of emerging trends: one set that includes four positive advances—positive health, leadership, mood and emotions, and interventions—and one that falls under the authors' rubric of new horizons—technology, virtual work, globalization, and aging. The authors conclude with attention to zest at work, along with cardiovascular health and well-being.