Worksite health promotion programs: How do we attract the employees who need them the most

Worksite health promotion programs are designed to attract individuals at all health risk levels. We suspect the healthiest individuals typically participate but we usually don't have enough information to describe the non-participants. A two-year pilot program was implemented at two diverse sites - a small refinery in the Midwest and an office complex in a large southwest city. 1800 employees were offered biometric screenings at the worksites followed by online health assessments. Upon completion of the health assessments individuals were eligible to enroll in telephonic lifestyle coaching and all employees could participate in worksite programs and challenges. In the first year, 617 individuals took the biometric screenings but only 63% of them completed the health assessment. We calculated average biometric screening values for health assessment completers vs. non-completers. At both locations, the biometric screening results for blood pressures, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL and glucose were all better in the health assessment completers. This was one indication that the health assessment aggregate numbers represented the healthier population members and that conclusions regarding the total population health status could not be drawn from non-representative participant data. Communications and programs in the second year were developed and delivered to attract individuals at all risk levels and to accommodate shift workers. We designed incentive strategies to provide equal opportunities for all individuals. Prizes and gift cards were awarded based on effort vs. achieved outcomes. Special prizes were awarded to ‘beginners' who continued to make improvements rather than for reaching ultimate goals.