A Worksite Health Promoting Program for Early Head Start and Head Start Workforce

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Workplace Wellness
• Health Promotion

Background:

• Early Head Start (EHS) and Head Start (HS) staff represent a significant public sector workforce.
• This demographic faces numerous health risks and chronic conditions.
• Existing workplace health interventions rarely target EHS/HS staff specifically.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a train-the-trainer (TTT) approach for implementing a health promotion program among EHS/HS staff.
• To improve nutrition and physical activity practices within this workforce.

Main Methods:

• A train-the-trainer (TTT) model was employed to build capacity in 57 EHS/HS programs.
• Staff knowledge and practices regarding nutrition and physical activity were assessed via baseline and 3-month follow-up surveys.
• Paired t-tests and chi-squared statistics analyzed changes in survey responses.

Main Results:

• 1,363 staff from 57 programs completed both surveys.
• Baseline data indicated high nutrition knowledge but suboptimal practices (e.g., soda consumption, low physical activity).
• Significant improvements were observed in dietary habits, nutrition knowledge, physical activity, and grocery shopping behaviors post-intervention.

Conclusions:

• The TTT approach is a promising strategy for disseminating health promotion programs to EHS/HS staff.
• This model can be scaled to reach the large EHS/HS workforce (>300,000 staff).
• Workplace-based health initiatives are crucial for improving the well-being of essential public sector employees.