A study of health care utilization by type of participation in a worksite health promotion program
Abstract
This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of a health promotion program at the worksite. Subjects were 743 employees at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Indiana (BCBSI) who were employed continuously from 1976 through 1982. The subjects were divided into four groups based on their level of participation in a health promotion program. These groups included: (1) The Intervention Treatment Group which consisted of 153 employees who received a health risk appraisal (HRA) in 1978 followed by health risk reduction counseling and who attended at least one session of a health risk reduction class (nutrition class, weight loss class, or smoking cessation class), (2) The Health Risk Appraisal Treatment Group which consisted of 235 employees who received a health risk appraisal in 1978 followed by health risk counseling but did not attend any risk reduction classes, (3) Control Group B which consisted of 194 employees who did not participate in any health promotion activities until April of 1982 when they received HRA and health risk counseling, (4) Control Group A which consisted of 161 employees who did not participate in any health promotion activities at all. These four groups were compared on change in health care utilization from a pre-intervention program period of two years (1976-1977) to several different post-intervention periods ranging from two to five years. In addition, participants in each intervention class were compared with risk-matched controls. Nonparametric tests used to analyze the data revealed few differences between the groups. A tendency for participants in the smoking cessation intervention group to show smaller increases in later health care utilization when compared with matched controls was noted. Results were discussed in terms of previous evaluations of the BCBSI health promotion program and the essential components of health promotion programs at the worksite. Recommendations were offered regarding future worksite health promotion programs and the evaluation of such programs.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Seehafer, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Health education|Public health
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