Wellness
Program: Prevention makes sense and cents
As the saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound
of cure," and the AUB Wellness Committee is out to prove this
adage with a program whose aim is to improve overall health and well-being
on campus.
Azmi Imad, director of the environmental health, safety and risk management
department, came up with the idea partly because he wanted to save
the University some money, while at the same time helping improve
students' and staff's wellbeing.
"The Wellness Program is a preventive body that will help save
money on health insurance," said Imad. "Each dollar that
is spent on wellness allows the university to save at least $3,"
he explained.
Already, the program has started a number of initiatives. For instance,
the infirmary now sends out reminders for medical examinations by
email or phone to AUB staff who are in the high-risk or elderly group.
Also, the wellness team is available for assessments for office ergonomics
upon request.
"We can suggest recommendations for the most ergonomic office
furniture that is available on the market," said Imad. While
their recommendations are currently not binding, the team follows
up on their recommendations with a visit six months after the initial
assessment.
The program's dynamism and energy is also a reflection of the dedication
that its young coordinator, Nihal Abu Ghali, has for the project.
"Informing our community of the health risks of certain behaviors
is very important to improve overall wellbeing," she said.
The wellness team currently manages six projects on smoking cessation,
nutrition, physical activity, weight control, stress management and
disease risk assessment.
"We are hoping to improve the non-smoking policy," said
Imad, noting that the team is lobbying for a smoke-free area near
Main Gate and in the dorms. There are also plans to raise awareness
about the harmful effects of cigarette and nargileh smoking through
flyers and posters. Moreover, they hope to develop a support group
for those trying to quit smoking.
Similarly, the team plans to start walking, running, jogging and tennis
groups to encourage members of the AUB community to participate in
physical activities. Other ideas that are still in the pipeline include
a survey of cafeteria food and Bliss Street establishments, assessing
them for nutritional content. "Our aim is to include the number
of calories for each food item on the receipt. Moreover, we would
also like to indicate which foods are healthy," said Imad.
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