Worksite health promotion programs in college settings

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Health Promotion
• Higher Education Administration

Background:

• Worksite health promotion programs (WHPPs) are increasingly recognized for their potential benefits.
• Existing research predominantly focuses on economic outcomes like return on investment and productivity.
• There is a gap in understanding the broader, non-economic benefits of WHPPs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the multifaceted nature and benefits of worksite health promotion programs (WHPPs).
• To emphasize the application and specific considerations of WHPPs within the college setting.
• To identify research gaps concerning the effectiveness and challenges of college-based WHPPs.

Main Methods:

• A systematic assessment of peer-reviewed literature published since 2000 was conducted.
• Multiple search engines were utilized with carefully selected keywords.
• The review focused on identifying studies examining both the economic and non-economic benefits of WHPPs.

Main Results:

• Most studies on WHPPs prioritize return on investment and productivity metrics.
• Research exploring the "softer" benefits of workplace health initiatives is less prevalent.
• The college setting presents unique advantages and challenges for implementing WHPPs due to its diverse employee population.

Conclusions:

• College settings offer unique opportunities for health promotion but face distinct implementation hurdles.
• There is a limited body of research specifically addressing the effectiveness and challenges of college-based WHPPs.
• Further investigation is warranted to fully understand and optimize WHPPs in higher education environments.