Process evaluation of two participatory approaches: Implementing total worker health® interventions in a correctional workforce

Abstract

Background Correctional Officers (COs) have among the highest injury rates and poorest health of all the public safety occupations. The HITEC-2 (Health Improvement Through Employee Control-2) study uses Participatory Action Research (PAR) to design and implement interventions to improve health and safety of COs. Method HITEC-2 compared two different types of participatory program, a CO-only “Design Team” (DT) and “Kaizen Event Teams” (KET) of COs and supervisors, to determine differences in implementation process and outcomes. The Program Evaluation Rating Sheet (PERS) was developed to document and evaluate program implementation. Results Both programs yielded successful and unsuccessful interventions, dependent upon team-, facility-, organizational, state-, facilitator-, and intervention-level factors. Conclusions PAR in corrections, and possibly other sectors, depends upon factors including participation, leadership, continuity and timing, resilience, and financial circumstances. The new PERS instrument may be useful in other sectors to assist in assessing intervention success.

Total Worker Health® 2014–2018: The Novel Approach to Worker Safety, Health, and Well-Being Evolves

“…Subsequently, gained knowledge should be used to inform practice-based research. For best practices to develop in this area, an agenda for dissemination and implementation research is essential [52,53]. These developments could help accelerate the adoption of evidence-based programs and move industries and communities along a continuum of integrated practices and policies, with implications for future research and comprehensive training of tomorrow’s TWH workforce.…”

Research Methodologies for Total Worker Health ®

“…In this sample table we first delineate program structure and process measures. Structural measures assesses the programs, policies, and environmental supports and degree of integration and can be guided as well as evaluated by established and validated tools such as the CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard, 59 Leading by Example, 60 the CPH-NEW Program Evaluation Rating Sheet, 61 and similar organizational assessment tools. 62 Here, also, the plurality and evolving nature of available measures has led to inconsistency among investigations; standardization may become possible in the future.…”

Associations Among Work and Family Health Climate, Health Behaviors, Work Schedule, and Body Weight

“…This study utilized a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, as prior research supports conducting this design type in the correctional work setting. 7,41 This PAR study was initiated by the correctional supervisors’ union who wished to partner with University researchers to: 1) assess the overall health of the State’s correctional supervisors, and 2) identify priority areas for health intervention within that workforce. Thus the purpose of this study extended beyond only conducting nutrition/physical activity research.…”