Nutr Res Pract.  2010 Apr;4(2):149-154.

Barriers to participation in a worksite wellness program

• Person AL
• Colby SE
• Bulova JA
• Eubanks JW

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine barriers that prevent participation in an employee wellness program, Wellness Wednesdays: "Eat & Meet" About Healthy Living, conducted at East Carolina University (ECU) in Greenville, North Carolina. All ECU ARAMARK employees (n = 481) over the age of 18 were eligible to participate in the wellness program. Weekly 30 minute classes, taught by a Registered Dietitian, on various nutrition- and health-related topics were conducted for 10-weeks. Five question knowledge quizzes were administered to participants at the end of each class to determine the comprehension of material presented. Qualitative interviews (n = 19) were conducted with employees (participants and non-participants) and the program organizer after the completion of the 10-week program to identify barriers to program participation. A total of 50 (10.4% of the total number of potential participants) ECU ARAMARK employees, managers, and leadership team directors attended Wellness Wednesdays at least once during the 10-week program. Employees, on average, scored 71-100% on the weekly knowledge quizzes administered at the end of each class. The most common barriers to participation reported included (most often to least often reported): insufficient incentives, inconvenient locations, time limitations, not interested in topics presented, undefined reasons, schedule, marketing, health beliefs, and not interested in the program. Results showed that employee wellness programs can be effective in increasing knowledge of employees on nutrition- and health-related topics. However, program planning that addresses identified barriers including insufficient incentives, inconvenient locations, and time limitations may facilitate higher participation in future worksite wellness opportunities.

Keyword

Employee wellness; barriers; participation rates

MeSH Terms

Appointments and Schedules
Comprehension
Health Promotion
Marketing
Motivation
North Carolina
Workplace

Reference

1. Heron M, Hoyert DL, Murphy SL, Xu J, Kochanek KD, Tejada-Vera B, Division of. Deaths: final data for 2006. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2009. 57:1–135.

2. Carnethon M, Whitsel LP, Franklin BA, Kris-Etherton P, Milani R, Pratt CA, Wagner GR. Worksite wellness programs for cardiovascular disease prevention: a policy statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2009. 120:1725–1741.

3. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Curtin LR, McDowell MA, Tabak CJ, Flegal KM. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, 1999-2004. JAMA. 2006. 295:1549–1555.

4. Kruger J, Yore MM, Ainsworth BE, Macera CA. Is participation in occupational physical activity associated with lifestyle physical activity levels? J Occup Environ Med. 2006. 48:1143–1148.

5. Pronk NP, Kottke TE. Physical activity promotion as a strategic corporate priority to improve worker health and business performance. Prev Med. 2009. 49:316–321.

6. Pronk NP, Martinson B, Kessler RC, Beck AL, Simon GE, Wang P. The association between work performance and physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and obesity. J Occup Environ Med. 2004. 46:19–25.

7. Aldana SG. Financial impact of health promotion programs: a comprehensive review of the literature. Am J Health Promot. 2001. 15:296–320.

8. Aldana SG, Greenlaw RL, Diehl HA, Salberg A, Merrill RM, Ohmine S. The effects of a worksite chronic disease prevention program. J Occup Environ Med. 2005. 47:558–564.

9. Van der Klink JJ, Blonk RW, Schene AH, Van Dijk FJ. The benefits of interventions for work-related stress. Am J Public Health. 2001. 91:270–276.

10. Racette SB, Deusinger SS, Inman CL, Burlis TL, Highstein GR, Buskirk TD, Steger-May K, Peterson LR. Worksite opportunities for wellness (WOW): Effects on cardiovascular disease risk factors after 1 year. Prev Med. 2009. 49:108–114.

11. Saving Dollars and Making Sense [Internet]. cited 2010 February 10. A comprehensive guide to workforce health promotion;Available from: http://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/ManagementGuide/Texts/WorksitesMgmtGuide.pdf.

12. Shepard RJ. Do work-site exercise and health programs work? Phys Sportsmed. 1999. 27:48–72.

13. Pelletier KR. A review and analysis of the clinical and cost-effectiveness studies of comprehensive health promotion and disease management programs at the worksite: Update VII 2004-2008. J Occup Environ Med. 2009. 51:822–837.

14. Sorenson G, Quintilliani L. Pronk NP, editor. Effective programs to promote worker health within healthy and safe worksites. ACSM's Worksite Health Handbook. A Guide to Building Healthy and Productive Companies. 2009. Second Edition. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

15. Henning R, Warren N, Robertson M, Faghri P, Cherniack M. CPH-NEW Research Team. Workplace health protection and promotion through participatory ergonomics: An integrated approach. Public Health Rep. 2009. 124:26–35.

16. Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee. Physical Activity Guidelines Committee Report, 2008. 2008. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services.

17. McLeroy KR, Bibeau D, Steckler A, Glanz K. An ecological perspective on health promotion programs. Health Educ Q. 1988. 15:351–377.

18. Fielding JE. Health promotion and disease prevention at the worksite. Annu Rev Public Health. 1984. 5:237–265.

19. Health Communication Unit. Conditions for successful workplace health promotion initiatives. 2002. Toronto: Centre for Health Promotion, University of Toronto.

20. Dishman RK, Oldenburg B, O'Neal H, Shepard RJ. Worksite physical activity interventions. Am J Prev Med. 1998. 15:344–361.

21. Matson-Koffman DM, Brownstein JN, Neiner JA, Greaney ML. A site-specific literature review of policy and environmental interventions that promote physical activity and nutrition for cardiovascular health: What works? Am J Health Promot. 2005. 19:167–193.

22. Proper KI, Koning M, Van der Beek AJ, Hildebrandt VH, Bosscher RJ, Van Mechelen W. The effectiveness of worksite physical activity programs on physical activity, physical fitness, and health. Clin J Sport Med. 2003. 13:106–117.

23. Bull SS, Gillette C, Glasgow RE, Estabrooks P. Work site health promotion research: To what extent can we generalize the results and what is needed to translate research to practice? Health Educ Behav. 2003. 30:537–549.

24. Langille JD, Berry TA, Reade IL, Witcher C, Loitz CC, Rodgers WM. Strength of messaging in changing attitudes in a workplace wellness program. Health Promot Pract. 2009. Article in press.

25. Robroek SJW, van Lenthe FJ, van Empelen P, Burdorf A. Determinants of participation in worksite health promotion programmes: A systematic review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2009. 6:26–37.

26. McLellan RK, MacKenzie TA, Tilton PA, Dietrich AJ, Comi RJ, Feng YY. Impact of workplace sociocultural attributes on participation in health assessments. J Occup Environ Med. 2009. 51:797–803.

27. Sorensen G, Stoddard A, Ockene JK, Hunt MK, Youngstrom R. Worker participation in an integrated health promotion/health protection program: Results from the WellWorks project. Health Educ Q. 1996. 23:191–203.

28. Stein AD, Shakour SK, Zuidema RA. Financial incentives, participation in employer-sponsored health promotion, and changes in employee health and productivity: HealthPlus health quotient program. J Occup Environ Med. 2000. 42:1148–1155.

29. Hooper JM, Veneziano L. Distinguishing starters from non-starters in an employee physical-activity incentive program. Health Educ Q. 1995. 22:49–60.

30. Blake SM, Caspersen CJ, Finnegan J, Crow RA, Mittlemark MB, Ringhofer KR. The shape up challenge: A community-based worksite exercise competition. Am J Health Promot. 1996. 11:23–34.

31. Henritze J, Brammell HL, McGloin J. LIFECHECK: a successful, low touch, low tech, in-plant, cardiovascular disease risk identification and modification program. Am J Health Promot. 1992. 7:129–136.

32. Adler NE, Newman K. Socioeconomic disparities in health: Pathways and policies. Health Aff (Millwood). 2002. 21:60–76.

33. Fact Book 2009-2010 [Internet]. 2010. updated 2010 March 15; cited 2010 March 23. Greenville (NC): East Carolina University;Available from: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/ipre/FactBook2010.cfm.

34. Campus Wellness Programs and Services [Internet]. 2010. updated 2010 January 28; cited 2010 March 23. Greenville (NC): East Carolina University;Available from: http://www.ecu.edu/csstudentlife/crw/programs/campuswellness/programs_services.cfm.