Introduction to HealthLinks
Understand the main components of the HealthLinks program Gain a general sense of the history of HealthLinks Understand the rationale for offering only evidence-based solutions Get an overview of the distance training model See how HealthLinks overlaps with 1422 workplan goals Have the opportunity to ask specific questions Learning Objectives:
Collaborative effort American Cancer Society & UW Health Promotion Research Center Goal Help employers, especially those that are smaller and/or under-resourced, adopt and implement an evidence-based workplace wellness program HealthLinks Overview
Who is eligible? Employers with 20+ workers What exactly is it? Materials and technical assistance supporting evidence-based policies, programs, and communications that address health behaviors Which behaviors are addressed? Healthy eating, physical activity, tobacco cessation, & cancer screening Where? Interventionist delivers HealthLinks to employer representative at worksite
Make Healthy Choices Easier
Offer Information, Programs, & Tools
Connect Employees with Free Resources
HealthLinks Approach Toolkits to support recommendations Form wellness committees On-site wellness programs/education Adopt new policies Implementation Gap analysis Evidence-based solutions Recommendations Begin dialogue about wellness Assess current wellness practices Assessment
What Do We Mean by “Evidence-Based?” An “evidence-based” practice is one that rigorous scientific testing has shown to be effective at bringing about pre-defined outcomes in people’s lives HealthLinks is a portfolio of best practices that have been subjected to the most rigorous test possible – systematic review
Why is it So Important to be Evidence-Based? In HL, adoption of best practices is the primary measure, NOT employee-level behavior change To be confident that increasing best practices at the worksite-level will lead to improved employee health, the best practices we offer must meet the highest level on the evidence pyramid
HealthLinks & 1422 Workplan
HealthLinks History
HealthLinks Pilot Studies Mason County (23 worksites) King County (47 worksites) Follow-up data were collected 6 months after baseline
Community Transformation Grant Partner: DOH; participating local health departments HealthLinks delivered to 10+ employers in each participating county Gray Harbor County: Volunteer model Lewis County: Local Health Department model
HealthLinks Trial Funded by National Cancer Institute 78 worksites enrolled Three-arm randomized trial comparing: HealthLinks HealthLinks w/wellness committee Control
HealthLinks via Distance Training
ACS and HPRC provide: HealthLinks intervention materials Interventionist training via phone and/or web-based video app (i.e. Skype) Monthly check-ins (format TBD) Follow-up measures Local health department provides: Staff time for training, intervention delivery Baseline measures Distance Training Model
Q & A