Local Health Departments' Capacity for Workplace Health Promotion Programs to Prevent Chronic Disease: Comparison of Rural, Micropolitan, and Urban Contexts

Abstract

Objective: To examine local health department (LHD) contexts, capacity for, and interest in partnering with employers on workplace health promotion programs (WHPPs) for chronic disease prevention. Design: Qualitative interviews with LHD directors. Setting: LHDs from 21 counties in 10 states. Participants: Twenty-one LHD directors. Main Outcome Measures(s): Experiences and perceptions of existing partnerships, decision making, funding, data needs, and organizational capacity for WHPP partnerships with employers. Results: We identified 3 themes: (1) LHDs see the value of partnering with employers but lack the capacity to do so effectively; (2) while LHDs base priorities on community need, funding ultimately drives decision making; and (3) rural, micropolitan, and urban LHDs differ in their readiness and capacity to work with employers. Conclusions: Understanding LHDs' partnership capacity and context is essential to the successful implementation of WHPP partnerships with employers. Expanding these partnerships may require additional financial investments, particularly among rural LHDs.

By the Seat of Our Pants: the Experience of Small Businesses in the COVID-19 Pandemic, Washington State, March–October 2020

“…They can also work with employers via community partners that already have strong relationships, such as local chambers of commerce, Rotary clubs, and other community-based organizations. However, because local health departments vary in size and capacity, most need funding aligned with employer partnerships to take on such partnership activities ( 9 ).…”

“…For this reason, they seem like a natural information source and partner for small businesses as they try to keep abreast of the status of COVID-19 in their community and make decisions about the safety of their employees and their customers ( 8 ). Local health departments also want to partner with more businesses in their communities on other initiatives, such as workplace health promotion and emergency response initiatives, to improve community health and increase their reach into the community ( 9 – 12 ). However, these partnerships are subject to potential barriers.…”

Partnerships to expand worksite wellness programs - A qualitative analysis of state and local health department perspectives

“…Based on guidelines from Miles and Huberman, 29 we compared our findings across data sources by reviewing the theme summaries and creating matrix displays summarizing relevant coded text by role (SCDD, LHDD, or LHDS). Below, we focus our discussion of findings from the LHDD data primarily on the delivery of worksite wellness programs and decision-making processes, as additional themes from the LHDD interviews are explored in Brown et al 17 …”

“…Our study also builds upon our previously published study 17 which was specifically focused on understanding the capacity of LHDs, the intended audience for Connect to Wellness. This prior study also examined differences according to LHD jurisdiction size (urban, micropolitan, or rural).…”

“…Contextual and financial circumstances such as geographical location and available funding for chronic disease prevention also influenced the extent to which their department engaged in worksite wellness. 17 …”