Formative and effectiveness evaluation of a worksite program promoting healthy alcohol consumption

This project involved the formative and effectiveness evaluation of a program aiming to enable working, nondependent drinkers to consume alcohol in a healthy and socially responsible fashion.

A baseline survey (n=387) of employee needs and interests was followed by a formative evaluation testing accessibility, interest/resistance, and potential effectiveness. The formative evaluation used successive iterations of focus groups. The subsequent effectiveness evaluation (n=268) used a randomized pre-post design with three conditions: alcohol program, placebo (nutrition) program, or no program.

The program was implemented in a multi-branch, blue-collar, shiftworking organization (n=813) in four Quebec cities with many mobile workers.

The worksite alcohol program consisted of two, half-hour sessions delivered one week apart by a health professional during paid time. The program provided information on the social and personal costs of alcohol, on strategies for promoting socially responsible drinking, and for the prevention of negative consequences of intoxication for oneself and one's family and friends.

Constructs measured using self-administered questionnaires were: alcohol knowledge, socially responsible attitudes, perceived self-efficacy for drinking management, and self-reported drinking behavior.

Despite the lack of interest in the topic (as found in the needs and interests survey), the program was effective in promoting socially responsible attitudes and reducing self-reported weekly consumption among participants. Some placebo effects were also present. Participants were not completely representative of all employees.

Worksite alcohol health promotion programs can be effective especially when promoting socially responsible attitudes.