A1 Journal article (refereed)
Eight-Year Health Risks Trend Analysis of a Comprehensive Workplace Health Promotion Program (2020)

Äikäs, A., Absetz, P., Hirvensalo, M., & Pronk, N. (2020). Eight-Year Health Risks Trend Analysis of a Comprehensive Workplace Health Promotion Program. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(24), Article 9426. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249426

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Äikäs, Antti; Absetz, Pilvikki; Hirvensalo, Mirja; Pronk, Nicolaas

Journal or series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

ISSN: 1661-7827

eISSN: 1660-4601

Publication year: 2020

Publication date: 16/12/2020

Volume: 17

Issue number: 24

Article number: 9426

Publisher: MDPI AG

Publication country: Switzerland

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249426

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/73386

Abstract

Research has shown that workplace health promotion (WHP) efforts can positively affect employees’ health risk accumulation. However, earlier literature has provided insights of health risk changes in the short-term. This prospective longitudinal quasi-experimental study investigated trends in health risks of a comprehensive, eight-year WHP program (n = 523–651). Health risk data were collected from health risk assessments in 2010–2011, 2013–2014, and 2016–2017, applying both a questionnaire and biometric screenings. Health risk changes were investigated for three different time-periods, 2010–2013, 2014–2017, and 2010–2017, using descriptive analyses, t-tests, and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank and McNemar’s test, where appropriate. Overall health risk transitions were assessed according to low-, moderate-, and high-risk categories. Trend analyses observed 50–60% prevalence for low-, 30–35% for moderate-, and 9–11% high-risk levels across the eight years. In the overall health risk transitions of the three time-periods, 66–73% of participants stayed at the same risk level, 13–15% of participants improved, and 12–21% had deteriorated risk level across the three intervention periods. Our findings appear to indicate that the multiyear WHP program was effective in maintaining low and moderate risk levels, but fell short of reducing the total number of health risks at the population level.

Keywords: occupational health; health promotion; development programmes; efficiency (properties); realisation (implementation); evaluation; health risks; risk management

Free keywords: workplace health promotion; health risks; effectiveness; implementation; program evaluation; risk management

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2020

JUFO rating: 1