A Wellness Guide for Recruiting Non-Participants into a Worksite Health Promotion Program

Author

Lorenzo Patrick Cassella Jr., University of Texas Permian Basin

Date of Award

5-2008

Document Type

Research Project Report

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Kinesiology

First Advisor

Patricia Sherblom, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

James A. Eldridge, Ed.D.

Third Advisor

Camille Cassidy, Ph.D.

Abstract

Rising costs of healthcare have motivated employers to offer comprehensive health promotion programs to their employees, to reduce health risk factors such as physical inactivity, poor nutrition, high stress, etc., thereby lowering both direct (i.e., medical) costs and indirect (i.e., absenteeism) costs. The majority of worksite health promotion (WHP) programs only show short-term (i.e., under 12 weeks) employee improvement in any one type of program for a few reasons; > Employers develop action-oriented tools. > Employers do not match current programs with the condition of their population. ^ Employers do not integrate the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) and the Processes of Change into WHP programs. Current research along with ‘real-life’ working experience suggest that a comprehensive approach should be used to maximize participation, structure stage-appropriate programs, and match programs with the condition of a population. The purpose of this research is to develop a wellness guide specific to lower stage of change recruitment strategies for health promotion program managers working with large, dispersed employee populations. Using such a wellness guide will reduce health risk factors and show long-term (i.e., over 6 months) employee improvements through lower direct and indirect costs.

Recommended Citation

Cassella, Lorenzo Patrick Jr., "A Wellness Guide for Recruiting Non-Participants into a Worksite Health Promotion Program" (2008). Student Dissertations & Theses. 18.
https://falconcommons.utpb.edu/utpb-nur/18