Between supporting students, and managing their own lives, educators and school staff might feel like they are left with little time to care for themselves.
Educators and school staff deal with numerous expectations from students on a daily basis. From school bus pick-ups and drop-offs, serving school meals, academic advising, or coaching school sports, it’s hard to step away for something like a preventive health visit. It’s crucial for school and district leaders to understand how to better support their staff and also recognize the profound impact preventive care can have on teacher and staff well-being, and on overall school success.
Similar to healthy students, healthy educators and school staff experience fewer absences, have more energy, and feel a greater sense of morale in their classrooms. This not only benefits the educators themselves, but creates a more positive and productive classroom environment, ultimately enhancing the educational experience for students.
What is preventive care?
Preventive care refers to routine health care services aimed at maintaining good health and preventing diseases before they become serious ─ and most health plans cover it at no extra cost.
Preventive care varies by age, gender, and medical history. It includes routine physical exams, vaccines and immunizations, and screenings for cancer, mental health, other chronic conditions related to, cardiac care, diabetes, osteoporosis, unmet social needs, domestic violence, and more.
Neglecting preventive care puts educators at increased risk for disease and can exacerbate existing conditions. Uncontrolled hypertension, for example, can lead to heart disease and stroke, while missed mammograms may delay cancer diagnosis. This puts their health at risk and costs your district more.
For example, a poll showed that 45% of all women — who make up the majority of the teaching workforce — went without preventive screenings, checkups, or vaccines in the past 12 months, with limited time to schedule appointments being one of the top reasons.
Why is it so important?
By identifying potential risks and diagnosing existing concerns, health issues can be addressed before they become serious and costly. Through proactive screening, prevention, and early intervention, educators can better manage chronic conditions and serious illnesses — or even avoid them altogether. Besides helping your teachers and staff feel their best and be more productive because they feel healthy and well, it also helps them miss fewer days of work and help keep costs down.
For example, cancer is the top health care cost driver for U.S. employers. Cancer-related costs account for 16% of their annual health care spend — and are expected to increase nearly 30% by 2027. Earlier cancer diagnosis could save the U.S. health care system $26 billion per year.
At least 42% of new cancer diagnoses can be prevented with the right support. And while not all cases can be prevented, early detection dramatically improves survival rates — and significantly reduces recovery timelines and treatment costs.
By prioritizing prevention and early detection, employers can support the health of their workforce and minimize the financial impact of cancer.
How can school and district leaders support educators getting preventive care?
- Promote preventive care and screenings
- Share the common risk factors and the importance of regular screenings
- Promote your health plan resources – including how to access preventive care, and telehealth options when available to save time for your teachers and staff
- Lead by Example
- School, district, and union leaders can share their stories, and how they prioritize their own health to set a positive example. When leaders openly discuss their health journeys it helps normalize conversations around health and wellness, reducing stigma, and encouraging others to seek help when needed.
- Empower employees to prioritize prevention
- Support employees taking time for preventive and routine care. Leverage the Educator Guide to Managing Individual Workload to identify how to make space in their schedule.
- Review labor contracts, and/or work with unions to support the best option for taking time for preventive care (taking time off, planning during normally scheduled breaks, or as part of back-to-school prep, etc.)
- Accommodate employees receiving on-going medical care
- Plan for how to support employees who receive a diagnosis after a screening and may need treatment or on-going care. For example, employees on certain medications may need more frequent bathroom breaks, or a quiet place to check their blood pressure during the day.
By integrating these practices, schools can foster a culture of health and wellness that benefits educators. Promoting preventive health in schools not only improves the well-being of educators but also creates a positive and productive educational environment.
