Factors influencing participation rates and employees' attitudes toward promoting healthy eating at blue-collar worksites

Lassen, Anne Dahl; Bruselius-Jensen, Maria; Sommer, Helle Mølgaard; Thorsen, Anne Vibeke; Trolle, Ellen

doi:10.1093/her/cyl153

Cited by 24 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Do employees in low-wage industries lack sufficient interest and resent employer interference in their health? Several prior studies suggest that employees in smaller, lower-wage industries are generally receptive to WHP, 16,17 although most research around employee attitudes toward particular programs and policies did not focus specifically on those working in low-wage industries. 18,19 There is also a lack of research on what employees in these industries believe about the appropriateness of employer involvement in employee health behavior, what types of programs are most appealing or feasible in these settings, and how best to promote them.…”

Section: Purposementioning

confidence: 99%

Perspectives on Workplace Health Promotion among Employees in Low-Wage Industries

Hammerback¹,

Hannon²,

Harris³

et al. 2015

Am J Health Promot

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Purpose Study goals were to (a) understand the attitudes of employees in low-wage industries toward workplace health promotion, including views on appropriateness of employer involvement in employee health, and level of interest in workplace health promotion overall and in specific programs; and (b) determine the potential for extending workplace health promotion to spouses and partners of these employees. Approach Forty-two 60-90-minute interviews Setting Interviews were conducted with couples (married or living together) in the Seattle/King County metropolitan area of Washington State. Participants Forty-two couples with one or more members working in one of five low-wage industries: accommodation/food services, education, health care/social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. Method Qualitative analysis of interview transcripts using grounded theory to identify themes. Results Employees consider workplace health promotion both appropriate and desirable, and believe it benefits employers through increased productivity and morale. Most have little personal experience with it and doubt their employers would prioritize employee health. Employees are most interested in efforts focused on nutrition and physical activity. Both employees and their partners support extending workplace health promotion to include partners. Conclusion Employees and their partners are interested in workplace health promotion if it addresses behaviors they care about. Concern over employer involvement in their personal health decisions is minimal; instead, employees view employer interest in their health as a sign that they are valued.

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Section: Purposementioning

confidence: 99%

Perspectives on Workplace Health Promotion among Employees in Low-Wage Industries

Hammerback¹,

Hannon²,

Harris³

et al. 2015

Am J Health Promot

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, the effects of WHPPs are often small [12] and participation is usually modest [13], despite the fact that most employees are positive about health promotion at work [14,15]. Since small effects and low participation greatly diminish the potential gains of WHPPs [10], it is important to study the factors that potentially impede or facilitate participation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Barriers and facilitators for participation in health promotion programs among employees: a six-month follow-up study

Rongen

Robroek

Ginkel³

et al. 2014

BMC Public Health

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BackgroundHealth promotion programs (HPPs) are thought to improve health behavior and health, and their effectiveness is increasingly being studied. However, participation in HPPs is usually modest and effect sizes are often small. This study aims to (1) gain insight into the degree of participation of employees in HPPs, and (2) identify factors among employees that are associated with both their intention to participate and actual participation in HPPs.MethodsEmployees of two organizations were invited to participate in a six-month follow-up study (n = 744). Using questionnaires, information on participation in HPPs was collected in two categories: employees’ intention at baseline to participate and their actual participation in a HPP during the follow-up period. The following potential determinants were assessed at baseline: social-cognitive factors, perceived barriers and facilitators, beliefs about health at work, health behaviors, and self-perceived health. Logistic regression analyses, adjusted for demographics and organization, were used to examine associations between potential determinants and intention to participate, and to examine the effect of these determinants on actual participation during follow-up.ResultsAt baseline, 195 employees (26%) expressed a positive intention towards participation in a HPP. During six months of follow-up, 83 employees (11%) actually participated. Participants positively inclined at baseline to participate in a HPP were more likely to actually participate (OR = 3.02, 95% CI: 1.88-4.83). Privacy-related barriers, facilitators, beliefs about health at work, social-cognitive factors, and poor self-perceived health status were significantly associated with intention to participate. The odds of employees actually participating in a HPP were higher among participants who at baseline perceived participation to be expected by their colleagues and supervisor (OR = 2.87, 95% CI: 1.17-7.02) and among those who said they found participation important (OR = 2.81, 95% CI: 1.76-4.49).ConclusionsParticipation in HPPs among employees is limited. Intention to participate predicted actual participation in a HPP after six months of follow-up. However, only 21% of employees with a positive intention actually participated during follow-up. Barriers, facilitators, beliefs about health at work, social-cognitive factors, and a poor self-perceived health status were associated with intention to participate, but hardly influenced actual participation during follow-up.

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“…It also indicated the participants' interest in health issues and their appreciation of the free counseling offered by health professionals. It is obvious that the most health-conscious drivers were enrolled in the study (Lassen et al, 2007, Sabinsky et al, 2007). …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lifestyle counseling in overweight truck and bus drivers - Effects on dietary patterns and physical activity

Puhkala

Kukkonen-Harjula

Aittasalo

et al. 2016

Preventive Medicine Reports

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We studied dietary patterns, physical activity (PA), and monthly goal setting in a weight reduction intervention in long-distance professional drivers. The study was conducted in Finland in 2009–2012. Male drivers with waist circumference > 100 cm were randomized to a lifestyle counseling (LIFE, N = 55) and a reference (REF, N = 58) group. During 12 months, LIFE participated in 6 face-to-face and 7 telephone counseling sessions on diet and PA. Dietary patterns were assessed using an index combining food diary and counselor interview, and PA with the number of daily steps using a pedometer. Monthly lifestyle goals, perceived facilitators and barriers, and adverse effects of PA in the LIFE participants were monitored using counselors' log books. Forty-seven (85%) LIFE participants completed the 12-month program. After 12 months, the mean dietary index score improved by 12% (p = 0.002, N = 24), and the number of daily steps increased by 1811 steps (median; p = 0.01, N = 22). The most frequent dietary goals dealt with meal frequency, plate model, and intake of vegetables, fruits, and berries. The most common PA mode was walking. Typical facilitators to reach monthly lifestyle goals were support from family and friends and ailment prevention; typical barriers were working schedules and ailments. Adverse effects, most commonly musculoskeletal pain, occurred among 83% of the LIFE participants. Positive changes in lifestyle habits were observed during counseling. Monthly lifestyle counseling combining face-to-face and phone contacts seemed appropriate to long-distance drivers. Barriers for reaching lifestyle changes, and adverse effects of PA were common and need to be addressed when planning counseling.Trial registration: Clinical Trials NCT00893646

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Factors influencing participation rates and employees' attitudes toward promoting healthy eating at blue-collar worksites

Cited by 24 publications

References 23 publications

Perspectives on Workplace Health Promotion among Employees in Low-Wage Industries

Perspectives on Workplace Health Promotion among Employees in Low-Wage Industries

Barriers and facilitators for participation in health promotion programs among employees: a six-month follow-up study

Lifestyle counseling in overweight truck and bus drivers - Effects on dietary patterns and physical activity

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