A Representative Analysis of Nonparticipation in Workplace Health Promotion in Germany Using Multivariable Methods

Studies have identified sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors that promote participation in workplace health promotion activities. The present study therefore focuses on what influences nonparticipation within a representative sample of the German population.

In the analysis of possible factors influencing nonparticipation, company characteristics are accounted for in addition to sociodemographic and health behaviour-related variables. The data used for the analysis are from the GEDA study 2014/2015-EHIS of the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin.

Age largely increased the probability of nonparticipation (OR: between 1.30 and 1.92, p: between <0.001 and 0.033). Other possible influencing factors, such as weight, smoking status, alcohol consumption, exercise status and diet, seemed to play a rather minor role in the present analysis. Self-rated belonging to a certain socioeconomic status group also had a significant influence (OR: 0.76, p: <0.001).

The influencing factors seem to be of a sociodemographic and socioeconomic nature. These determinants should be accounted for to reduce nonparticipation. However, a comparison with current or longitudinal data would be needed to prove to what extent the results are still valid or influenced by a cohort effect.