Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are the leading causes of death and disability in the U. S. Because the central mission of state and local health departments (HDs) is to protect, promote, and improve population health, these agencies are well-positioned to address risk behaviors for chronic disease. HD-employer partnerships could enhance worksite wellness programming, but few studies have explored this topic. Building upon previously published findings, the purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the context and environment for HDs’ delivery of worksite wellness programs, including interest, barriers, facilitators, and decision-making processes. We conducted 12 interviews with directors of state chronic disease programs, 21 interviews with local directors, and three focus groups with local staff. We performed a thematic analysis of the data. Key themes include the following: (1) worksite wellness programs delivered by HDs were diverse in topic and scope and delivered both internally (at the HD for their agency) and externally (for other employers); (2) decisions made about chronic disease prevention were largely driven by funding priorities, with federal, state, and local entities playing roles in the decision-making process; and (3) HDs expressed potential interest in worksite wellness program delivery, dependent upon staff capacity, available funding, and employer buy-in. Our results suggest that funding should be increased for and reallocated towards chronic disease prevention, including worksite wellness. To overcome HD barriers to program delivery, key funders and stakeholders should prioritize and communicate the importance of worksite wellness.
Introduction Most US businesses are small, yet they employ almost half of the nation’s workforce. Literature is limited about how small employers (those with 20–250 employees) have made decisions about operating their businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to learn how employers made these decisions, what information sources they used, what information they wanted, and to what extent they worked with or used information from their local health department. Methods We conducted qualitative, semistructured interviews with 26 employers in Washington State, from August through October 2020. Employers were recruited from 7 counties (4 urban and 3 rural) that were experiencing either higher or lower COVID-19 case rates than Washington State overall. Results Employers relied heavily on national government resources to make decisions about how to operate their businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Few employers had relationships with or turned to their local health departments for information or support. Employers wanted information about COVID-19 safety that was specific to their business operations and industry. Employers also described the emotional toll of COVID-19 and the challenge of trying to make high-stakes decisions with rapidly evolving information. Conclusion Small employers showed little awareness of their local health departments and the information and assistance they could provide. Local health departments could increase their visibility and build relationships with small employers by partnering with them on value-added services such as workplace health promotion. Establishing these relationships could support more rapid collaboration between local health departments and small employers during future public health crises.
Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic has led to profound changes in the workplace as well as increases in stress, missed preventive care, and other health concerns. There is limited research since the onset of the pandemic on employees’ primary health concerns and their willingness to engage with workplace health promotion (WHP) programs to address these needs. We conducted this survey about employees’ current health priorities as a first step to exploring whether WHP programs need to evolve to be responsive to employees’ needs at this stage of the pandemic. Design National cross-sectional survey. Setting United States, April 29-May 5, 2022. Subjects 2053 Americans employed part or full time. Measures 17-item online survey assessing demographics, health priorities, and impact of the pandemic on health. Analysis Descriptive statistics, SPSS Version 19. Results Employees’ most common health concerns included work/life balance and stress (each cited by 55%). Nearly half (46%) said their health or well-being was affected by the pandemic; within this group, the most common concerns were stress (66%), anxiety (61%), sleep (49%), and depression (48%). Almost all (94%) indicated they would be open to receiving support from their employers. Conclusion This research is a first step in learning about employees’ current health priorities and how they may have changed. WHP researchers and practitioners can determine how their programs align with current priorities. Our future research will explore employees’ preferences, heath behaviors, and their current workplace environments in more depth.
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