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 effortAmerican 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

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

Recommendatio

ns

• 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)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Best Practice Implementation

BaselineFollow-up

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Best Practice Implementation

BaselineFollow-up

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 materialsInterventionist 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 deliveryBaseline measures

Distance Training Model

Q & A