Factors Associated With Participation in a University Worksite Wellness Program

Healthcare reform legislation encourages employers to implement worksite wellness activities as a way to reduce rising employer healthcare costs. Strategies for increasing program participation is of interest to employers, though few studies characterizing participation exist in the literature. The University of Michigan conducted a 5-year evaluation of its worksite wellness program, MHealthy, in 2014. MHealthy elements include Health Risk Assessment, biometric screening, a physical activity tracking program (ActiveU), wellness activities, and participation incentives.

Individual-level data were obtained for a cohort of 20,237 employees who were continuously employed by the university all 5 years. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the independent predictive power of characteristics associated with participation in the Health Risk Assessment, ActiveU, and incentive receipt, including employee and job characteristics, as well as baseline (2008) healthcare spending and health diagnoses obtained from claims data. Data were collected from 2008 to 2013; analyses were conducted in 2014.

Approximately half of eligible employees were MHealthy participants. A consistent profile emerged for Health Risk Assessment and ActiveU participation and incentive receipt with female, white, non-union staff and employees who seek preventive care among the most likely to participate in MHealthy.

This study helps characterize employees who choose to engage in worksite wellness programs. Such information could be used to better target outreach and program content and reduce structural barriers to participation. Future studies could consider additional job characteristics, such as job type and employee attitudinal variables regarding health status and wellness program effectiveness.