Chronic pain we know about too well. The opioid onslaught has taught us that. The pressure to work through pain is real, particularly in industries with a macho ethos such as construction and oil and gas. But step back and look at a larger picture — chronic diseases — and the untold millions of adults who work through a chronic illness.
Generally incurable and ongoing chronic diseases affect approximately 133 million Americans, representing more than 40 percent of the total U.S. population, according to the National Health Council. Chronic conditions include arthritis, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular (heart) disease, depression and diabetes. Though not a chronic disease, about 40 million Americans suffer from long-term sleep disorders each year, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The safety implications of sleep deprivation are self-evident.