Initiation of health-behaviour change among employees participating in a web-based health risk assessment with tailored feedback

Ersen B Colkesen,Coenraad K Van Kalken,Ron Jg Peters,Niels Peek,Jan Gp Tijssen,Sandra Vosbergen,Roderik A Kraaijenhagen,Maurice Aj Niessen

doi:10.1186/1745-6673-6-5

Abstract

BackgroundPrimary prevention programs at the worksite can improve employee health and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease. Programs that include a web-based health risk assessment (HRA) with tailored feedback hold the advantage of simultaneously increasing awareness of risk and enhancing initiation of health-behaviour change. In this study we evaluated initial health-behaviour change among employees who voluntarily participated in such a HRA program.MethodsWe conducted a questionnaire survey among 2289 employees who voluntarily participated in a HRA program at seven Dutch worksites between 2007 and 2009. The HRA included a web-based questionnaire, biometric measurements, laboratory evaluation, and tailored feedback. The survey questionnaire assessed initial self-reported health-behaviour change and satisfaction with the web-based HRA, and was e-mailed four weeks after employees completed the HRA.ResultsResponse was received from 638 (28%) employees. Of all, 86% rated the program as positive, 74% recommended it to others, and 58% reported to have initiated overall health-behaviour change. Compared with employees at low CVD risk, those at high risk more often reported to have increased physical activity (OR 3.36, 95% CI 1.52-7.45). Obese employees more frequently reported to have increased physical activity (OR 3.35, 95% CI 1.72-6.54) and improved diet (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.50-7.60). Being satisfied with the HRA program in general was associated with more frequent self-reported initiation of overall health-behaviour change (OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.73-4.44), increased physical activity (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.06-3.39), and improved diet (OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.61-5.17).ConclusionsMore than half of the employees who voluntarily participated in a web-based HRA with tailored feedback, reported to have initiated health-behaviour change. Self-reported initiation of health-behaviour change was more frequent among those at high CVD risk and BMI levels. In general employees reported to be satisfied with the HRA, which was also positively associated with initiation of health-behaviour change. These findings indicate that among voluntary participating employees a web-based HRA with tailored feedback may motivate those in greatest need of health-behaviour change and may be a valuable component of workplace health promotion programs.

Highlights

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of disability and death[1]
There were no differences between employees who responded to the questionnaire and those who did not in sex, age category, education level, Framingham risk score, body mass index, and smoking status
Compared with employees at low CVD risk, those at intermediate CVD risk more often reported to have started to change their health behaviour in general, whereas those at high CVD risk more often reported to have increased physical activity

Summary

Introduction

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of disability and death[1]. Much of the CVD burden could be eliminated by addressing preventable risk factors, including high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycaemia, smoking, physical inactivity, high fatThe traditional HRA screened for risk factors to produce feedback that predominantly contained information on the assessed risk[9]. It was acknowledged that improvements in affecting health-behaviour change could be achieved by web-based delivery of the HRA, with incorporation of tailored health recommendations [11,12,13,14]. These HRAs hold the advantage of simultaneously increasing awareness of risk and enhancing initiation of health-behaviour change[11,15]. Programs that include a web-based health risk assessment (HRA) with tailored feedback hold the advantage of simultaneously increasing awareness of risk and enhancing initiation of health-behaviour change. In this study we evaluated initial health-behaviour change among employees who voluntarily participated in such a HRA program

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