Workplace wellness program interest and barriers among workers with work-related permanent impairments

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Workplace Health Saf
• Personal Author:
  Sears, Jeanne M. ; Edmonds, Amy T. ; Hannon, Peggy A. ; Schulman, Beryl A. ; Fulton-Kehoe, Deborah
• Description:
  Background:
  
  Nearly half of United States workers have access to workplace wellness programs (WWPs); 58% of workers with access participate. The aim of this study was to assess interest in WWP participation and identify reasons for lack of interest among workers with work-related permanent impairments—a population at elevated risk of adverse health outcomes.
  
  Methods:
  
  Workers who returned to work after a work-related permanent impairment were interviewed 11 to 15 months after workers’ compensation claim closure. Qualitative content analysis methods were used to code open-ended responses.
  
  Findings:
  
  Of 560 respondents, 51.4% expressed interest in WWP participation. Numerous adverse health and economic characteristics were associated with WWP interest; e.g., interest was expressed by: 63.3% of workers reporting fair/poor health status, vs. 47.1% reporting good/excellent; 56.9% of workers reporting moderate/severe pain, vs. 41.4% reporting mild/no pain; 64.7% of workers without health insurance, vs. 50.1% if insured; 69.0% of workers reporting depression, vs. 47.2% without depression; 70.4% of workers reporting obesity, vs. 48.0% without obesity; and 63.2% of workers often worried about expenses, vs. 46.9% reporting sometimes/never worried. Specific participation barriers were described by 34.2% of the 272 workers not interested.
  
  Conclusions/Applications to Practice:
  
  A majority of workers with work-related permanent impairments—particularly those with adverse health and economic characteristics—were interested in WWPs. Many workers who reported no interest cited participation barriers. Further research is needed to determine whether addressing such barriers would enhance equitable access. Those undertaking WWP planning, implementation, and outreach should ensure that WWPs are inclusive and serve workers with disabilities.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Access Article Disabled Persons Health Equity Health Promotion Humans Obesity Occupational Injuries Work Disability Workers' Compensation Workplace Workplace Health Promotion

  More +
• Source:
  Workplace Health Saf. 70(8):348-357
• Pubmed ID:
  35382639
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC9339535
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  R21 OH011355/OH/NIOSH CDC HHSUnited States/ ; R21OH011355/ACL/ACL HHSUnited States/ ; T42 OH008433/OH/NIOSH CDC HHSUnited States/ ; T42OH008433/ACL/ACL HHSUnited States/
• Volume:
  70
• Issue:
  8
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20065398
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2aaba609ff33f3f754202e183d0b885b9a481bf95f5682dc255707fca62614926253884b072a8583e73a5239015792fdf4328d59b255119e25a98c77ebfde68c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/119847/cdc_119847_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 105.92 KB ]