Health Promotion for Older Workers

Health behaviors adopted during employment could reduce Medicare expenditures among retirees. To improve health behaviors, we are testing two health promotion interventions with older workers at UIC. The first intervention combines web-based risk assessments with an action plan that is negotiated with a “Coach” who provides personalized follow-up reinforcement. The second intervention is a web-based health risk assessment and risk profile with disease-specific follow-up reinforcement modules. Our RCT is assessing participant health behaviors, absenteeism, presenteeism and use and cost of health services at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Participants (N = 423) have a mean age of 51, ranging from 40-68. Approximately 80% are female, 62% are minority, and 81% reported at least one chronic condition. At baseline, 75% were overweight or obese. Participants were categorized with respect to Stage of Change at baseline on 4 target behaviors (physical activity, diet, stress management, and smoking). At baseline, 43%, 37%, 100% and 13% of participants were in Pre-Contemplation, Contemplation, or Preparation for exercise, stress management, fruit/vegetable consumption, and smoking, respectively. There was little difference across Stages of Change for behaviors by group. Analyses of data on intervention use indicate that COACH participants are using the program more extensively than RealAge participants and are improving at 6 months with regard to stages of change for exercise, stress, and one of two diet-related behaviors. Preliminary findings also indicate that COACH participants have fewer health-related work absences than RealAge and Control participants. Study methods, baseline characteristics, and baseline-6 month findings will be presented.