Changes in Behaviors and Outcomes Among School-Based Employees in a Wellness Program
James LeCheminant1, Ray M Merrill1, Travis D Masterson1
11 Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.
Health Promotion Practice
|August 1, 2017
Summary
School employees in a wellness program improved health behaviors like exercise and diet over two years. Mental health outcomes saw some improvements, but job performance slightly decreased.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Worksite wellness programs are increasingly implemented to improve employee health.
- The impact of these programs on school-based employees, a unique demographic, requires further investigation.
- Longitudinal data on health behavior changes and associated mental and job-related outcomes are crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate health behavior changes in school employees over two years.
- To assess the impact of a worksite wellness program on mental health outcomes.
- To examine the effects on job-related outcomes, including performance and satisfaction.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 1,873 school employees voluntarily enrolled in a comprehensive wellness program.
- Data collected over two years included exercise, diet, sleep, smoking, alcohol use, self-rated health, and mental health indicators.
- Job-related outcomes such as performance, absenteeism, and satisfaction were also assessed.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements were observed in exercise, fruit/vegetable consumption, restful sleep, and reduced alcohol consumption (p < .037).
- Smoking initially increased then decreased below baseline by year two (p < .0001).
- Mental health outcomes improved (p < .033), while job performance slightly declined (2%), and other job outcomes remained unchanged.
Conclusions:
- Comprehensive worksite wellness programs can positively influence health behaviors among school employees.
- While health behaviors and some mental health aspects improved, the program yielded mixed results for job-related outcomes over two years.
Related Concept Videos
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI
289
Adopting a healthier lifestyle often requires overcoming significant challenges, but leveraging psychological, social, and cultural resources can facilitate meaningful change. Effective self-change hinges on understanding and applying key tools such as motivation and goal setting, which help sustain efforts toward long-term health benefits.
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...
289
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques I
364
Stress prevention and management are crucial for maintaining well-being and building resilience. Techniques to manage stress include cultivating qualities like conscientiousness, a sense of personal control, and self-efficacy. Each of these traits significantly reduces stress and promotes healthier lifestyle choices and outcomes.
Conscientiousness
Conscientious individuals tend to be organized, responsible, and disciplined. They prioritize completing tasks and following structured routines,...
Conscientiousness
Conscientious individuals tend to be organized, responsible, and disciplined. They prioritize completing tasks and following structured routines,...
364
Community Based Intervention
532
Community-based interventions in mental health represent a paradigm shift from institution-centered care to treatments embedded within the fabric of local communities. By prioritizing inclusion and leveraging existing societal structures, this approach fosters a supportive environment conducive to addressing mental health challenges while promoting individual dignity and agency.
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
532
Behavior Modification
788
Behavioral approaches have often been criticized for ignoring mental processes and focusing solely on observable behavior. However, these approaches provide an optimistic perspective for individuals seeking to change their behaviors. Rather than concentrating on intrinsic personality traits, behavioral approaches suggest that even longstanding habits can be modified by changing the reward contingencies that maintain them.
A real-world application of operant conditioning principles is applied...
A real-world application of operant conditioning principles is applied...
788
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention II
2.2K
The person's health status fluctuates continually, varying from being in good health to becoming ill and returning to being healthy. To understand the concept of illness prevention, there are two models. First, the health-illness continuum model is a graphic representation of an individual's wellness. It states that a person is considered healthy in the absence of physical disease and the presence of good emotional health.
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results...
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results...
2.2K
Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
15.2K
Health promotion allows a person to control the determinants of health, resulting in an improved health status. It enhances the quality of life and reduces premature deaths. Health promotion and illness prevention programs help people make beneficial choices to reduce the risk of disease and disabilities. There are three health promotion and illness prevention levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...
15.2K

