In 2019 employees working and living abroad are more aware that wellness is not simply an absence of illness. They are considering other factors when assessing their current and long term wellbeing. These include:
- Genes: Our family history and genetic makeup impact our lifespan and illnesses we may contract. Although there is little we can do to change this, we are becoming more aware of the importance of screening for illnesses that may be genetic.
- Behaviour: The choices we make around alcohol, smoking and food can impact our immediate and long-term wellbeing. Globally people, including expats living abroad, are taking action to reduce harmful behaviours. Tobacco use is declining as we are increasingly aware of the damage of smoking.
- Environment: The environment we live and work in plays an important role in how healthy we are. Living in a highly populated, polluted city may have an impact on an expats wellbeing. More remote areas can have their own challenges, e.g. in tropical climates malaria may be a risk.
Expats want to manage all the factors that feed into their overall wellbeing with screening for potential genetic issues, help overcoming behavioural problems and information on how to manage environmental factors.
