SYDNEY, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Work is good for health while long term work absence, work disability and unemployment can make us miserable, according to a consensus statement from the Australian and New Zealand doctors on Wednesday.
The Australian and New Zealand Consensus Statement on the Health Benefits of Work was launched by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) and the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (AFOEM) in Wellington.
In the statement, doctors say that work is generally good for health and long term break form work along with unemployment and being unable to work due to disability generally have a negative impact on wellbeing.
Work is also an effective means of reducing social exclusion, particularly for indigenous people and other disadvantaged groups, the statement says.
Work practices, workplace culture, work-life balance, injury management programs and relationships within workplaces are key determinants, not only of whether people feel valued and supported in their work roles, but also of individual health, wellbeing and productivity, it said.
Good outcomes are more likely when individuals understand the health benefits of work, and are empowered to take responsibility for their own situation. the statement said.