245810 Is employee health behavior associated with workplace health culture?

Monday, October 31, 2011: 8:30 AM

Micalla Williden, MSc(Hons) , Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand
Scott Duncan, PhD , Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand
Grant Schofield, PhD , Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand
Background: Fostering an environment that is supportive of health behavior in the workplace could improve health habits of employees. The aim of this study is to investigate links between employee health behavior and perceptions of workplace support for such behavior. Methods: 510 (36%) employees aged between 18-65 years filled out an online health risk assessment (HRA) that included questions related to nutrition, physical activity, weight status, psychological distress, sleep, smoking and alcohol. Imbedded in the HRA was the LifeGain Healthy Culture Audit (LHCA), used to assess perceptions of support for employee health behaviour in the workplace. Partial correlations and the magnitude of effects were calculated to assess the relationship between health behavior and perceptions of culture. Results Small to moderate effects were found for psychological distress scores, with correlations of between -0.17 and -0.30 for the sum and the five constructs of the LHCA. In addition, the sum of the LHCA correlated with the sum of health behaviours (r = 0.13, 90% CL 0.04, 0.21) and being a non smoker (r= 0.12, 90% CL: 0.05, 0.19). All other observed correlations were trivial. Conclusion: Employer strategies to create a workplace culture supportive of health behavior could improve employee health and wellbeing.

Learning Areas:
Occupational health and safety
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
1. Assess associations between seven employee health behaviors and perceptions of support for health behavior in the workplace.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am completing my PhD in public health, investigating health and productivity in the New Zealand workforce.
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.