225086 American Cancer Society Workplace Solutions: A randomized controlled trial testing a workplace health promotion intervention in mid-sized companies in low-wage industries

Monday, November 8, 2010 : 9:15 AM - 9:30 AM

Peggy A. Hannon, PhD, MPH , Health Promotion Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Jeffrey R. Harris, MD MPH MBA , Health Promotion Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Carrie J. Sopher, MPH , Health Promotion Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Alan Kuniyuki, MS , Department of Health Services, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA
Diane P. Martin, MA, PhD , Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Shelly Henderson, CHES , Kibble & Prentice, Seattle, WA
Denise Albano, MPH , Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Donetta Ghosh, MA , Health Promotion Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
John Craft Jr., MBA , Great West Division, American Cancer Society, Phoenix, AZ
     
Background: We conducted a randomized controlled trial of American Cancer Society's (ACS) Workplace Solutions (WPS) with mid-sized, low-wage employers. WPS promotes evidence-based chronic disease prevention best practices to employers; it was successfully pilot-tested with large employers in 2005. Methods: We recruited 48 employers (100-999 workers) in King County, WA and randomized them to receive WPS immediately (program group) or at the end of the study (control group). We measured employers' implementation of 17 best practices (in the areas of insurance benefits, policies, programs, and health communications) at baseline and 15-month follow-up (implementation was rated on a scale from 0 to 100%). The program group received tailored recommendations, implementation toolkits, and technical assistance. We computed baseline to follow-up change scores. Due to the non-normality of the data distributions, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were conducted to determine whether median change scores (MCS) in implementation differed significantly between groups. Results: Program group employers demonstrated greater improvement from baseline than control group employers in implementing policies (baseline scores: 39% program, 43% control; follow-up scores: 49% program, 45% control; MCS: 4% vs. 0%, p = .01) and communications (baseline scores: 42% program, 44% control; follow-up scores: 76% program, 55% control; MCS: 25% vs. 0%, p < .01). Conclusions: WPS improved employers' health-related policies and communications, but did not significantly improve insurance benefits or programs. In process interviews, many employers revealed that they were unable to modify their insurance benefits, and the time required to implement programs was a major barrier to program adoption.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs

Learning Objectives:
1.Describe American Cancer Society Workplace Solutions, a workplace health promotion intervention to disseminate evidence-based interventions promoting cancer screening, influenza vaccination, nutrition, physical activity, and tobacco cessation. 2. List evidence-based best practices in the areas of insurance benefits, worksite policies, programs, and health-promoting communications. 3. Explain mid-sized, low-wage employers’ successes in improving worksite policies and health communications, and barriers to modifying their insurance benefits and adopting worksite programs.

Keywords: Worksite, Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I led the study described in this abstract; I'm an assistant professor in the University of Washington School of Public Health and teach health promotion and related topics.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3060.0: Chronic disease in worksite health promotion