There has been significant interest on the part of employers in using the Internet as a tool for promoting employee health. This interest has been fueled by the realization that improved employee health correlates with both increased worker productivity and decreased health care expenditures. A health promotion web site has been designed to improve the health status of employees. It includes health information, a health risk assessment, self-care information and modules focused on healthy behaviors and disease management. The site is based on behavioral theory and uses tailored e-mail messages to motivate and re-engage site users in the behavior change process. Additional messages address barriers to behavior change. Over the course of 2 years the site has been available to employees of a number of large corporations. Usage trends were followed by collection of data from the Internet site. The results were reviewed and adjusted for issues such as double registration. Forty-three percent of the registrants were female. The average age was 42.6 years. The health risk appraisal was completed by 26 percent of registered users revealing that 15 percent were at high risk. The most popular areas of the site are exercise, healthy weight, self-care, nutrition and depression. Individuals regardless of age and gender are willing to seek out health promotion information on the Internet. Studies are needed to define the web designs, which maximize program participation and behavior change. Research goals should be incorporated at the time of web design to facilitate further investigation of these issues.
Learning Objectives: 1) After viewing this poster, the viewer will be able to recognize the potential of the internet as a work-site health promotion tool 2)After viewing this poster the viewer will be able to articulate future challenges in research of Internet based health promotion programs.
Keywords: Health Promotion, Interactive Communication
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Mayo Foundation
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.