Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #105949

Susan L. Hughes, DSW¹, Rachel B. Seymour, MS², Julie Tenner, MPH, RD¹, Jack Zwanziger, PhD³, Rosemary Sokas, MD, MOH⁴, and Richard T. Campbell, PhD². (1) School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Institute for Health Research and Policy, 1747 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago, IL 60608, 312-996-1473, shughes@uic.edu, (2) Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1747 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago, IL 60608, (3) Health Policy and Administration/School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1603 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60612-4394, (4) EOHS - M/C 922, University of Illinois-Chicago School of Public Health, 2121 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612

As a result of the aging population, the number of workers over age 55 is projected to continue to rise. Older workers are at greater risk for health care utilization and cost, and decreased productivity due to untreated chronic disease risk factors. Thus, the development and testing of cost effective health promotion interventions for older workers is an urgent need. Research has shown that worksite health promotion programs are effective; however, the amount of research specifically targeted to older adults is sparse. Therefore, we are adapting and testing two existing behavior change interventions for support staff aged 50-59 at the University of Illinois at Chicago, one of the largest employers in Chicago. Participants are being randomly assigned to one of three groups: an evidence-based behavior change intervention provided by a health educator (Health Enhancement Program); RealAge, an internet-based behavior change program, or a control group. We are piloting enrollment processes and utilization patterns associated within each intervention. A funded follow up study will test the cost-effectiveness of each intervention based on behavior change outcomes. To date, we have conducted four focus groups with the target audience to learn about current health problems, concerns, perceived healthy behaviors, facilitators and barriers to behavior change; and are beginning recruitment in the three-month pilot. Focus group and pilot findings will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn about the health concerns and health behaviors of blue-collar, minority workers ages 50-5
• Identify facilitators and barriers to health behavior change among these working adults ages 50-5
• Learn effective ways to enroll older adult workers into worksite health promotion /behavior change programs and understand their utilization patterns.

Keywords: Health Behavior, Worksite

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.