Reducing Cardiovascular Disease Risk for Employees Through Participation in a Wellness Program

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Preventive Cardiology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality.
• Employee wellness programs are increasingly implemented to mitigate health risks and associated costs.
• Long-term impact assessments of comprehensive wellness initiatives are crucial for demonstrating efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the University of Rochester Employee Wellness program.
• To quantify the program's impact on reducing cardiovascular disease risk among employees.
• To identify factors associated with improved cardiovascular health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A 5-year retrospective study design was employed.
• Data from over 16,000 employees participating in the wellness program between January 2013 and December 2017 were analyzed.
• Logistic regression modeling was used to assess the impact of program participation on cardiovascular disease risk reduction.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant improvements in participant health outcomes were observed.
• Nearly 50% of participants with moderate-to-high baseline cardiovascular disease risk showed improvement in their 10-year risk.
• Approximately one-third of participants advanced by a full cardiovascular risk category, and engagement in condition management increased improvement odds by 36%.

Conclusions:

• An integrated employee wellness program can lead to sustained improvements in long-term health and reduced cardiovascular disease risk.
• Lifestyle behavior changes facilitated by wellness programs are key to mitigating chronic disease.
• Employers and stakeholders should prioritize wellness programs based on their long-term performance and design.