Myhealthylifestyle@Work: implementation and evaluation of two worksite health promotion programs in the Transport & Logistic Industry

Background The prevalence of overweight and obesity is high in most western countries. This also affects the Dutch working population. In 2016, nearly 50% of the working population had overweight [body mass index (BMI) = 25] according to the Central Bureau of Statistics Netherlands (CBS) (Monitor CBS & Trimbos Institute, 2016). The prevalence of obesity (BMI = 30) was 14%. Excessive body weight is associated with increased mortality and morbidity and has a negative impact on health, like for example the incidence of chronic diseases such as low back pain, diabetes type II or cardiovascular disorders (Verweij, 2010, Burdorf et. Al, 2016). Overweight and obesity are not only related to additional health-related problems, they are also related to a decrease of work ability of the individual [Proper et al., 2014]. A study based on periodic health screenings among 39,400 construction workers showed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity in construction workers is higher than in the general Dutch adult population. Of all construction workers 63% is overweight and 15% is obese (Arbouw, 2010; Goetzel et al., 2010). Transport workers are also highly at risk of developing overweight and obesity (Naug et al., 2016; STL, 2016). A recent study initiated by STL has shown that 73% of the transport and logistic workers is overweight (STL, 2017). A few companies in the Netherlands like Construction company Bruil and the Sector Institute Transport & Logistic offer Worksite Health Promotion Programs (WHPP’s) with the aim of improving the health, vitality and work ability of workers. Objectives: There is until now little insight into the factors that influence the participation of workers in both WHPP’s and which factors influence the effect of WHPP’s. In this project we focus on both the perspective of the applicability of interventions as well as the generalizability of the intervention results to different branches and approaches (company approach vs a sector approach). The main goal of the current project is to evaluate the implementation and effect of two WHPP's in the sector Construction and Transport & Logistic sector in order to fine tune the implementation strategy and improve the health and vitality & work-ability of their blue-collar workers with a low SEP. In order to achieve this main objective, the following questions will be analyzed at three different actor levels (macro-level: organization and management; meso-level: implementer; micro-level: participant) using a mixed methods approach: (1)Is the expected target population reached? (reach, recruitment) (2) Is the program implemented as intended? (fidelity, dose-delivered, dose-received) (3) How do the participants experience the WHPPs? (satisfaction) (4 Which impact do the WHPPs have on the participants learning (attitude and self-efficacy towards a healthy life-style), lifestyle behavior, vitality and health? (Effect) (5) Which contextual factors (facilitators and barriers) influence the implementation of WHPPs (socio-political context, characteristics of the organization, characteristics of the implementer and characteristics of the intervention program)? (6) Which individual factors influence the implementation of interventions? Are there any differences between the characteristics of the participants and non-participants ? Why do some workers decide to participate in WHPP’s and others not? Design A randomized research design will be used with 12 months follow-up. The research population will consist of blue collar workers with a low SEP of the construction company Bruil as well as blue-collar workers of the Transport and Logistic sector. This project uses the RE-AIM model framework (Glasgow et al., 1999), a validated framework for the systematic evaluation of the implementation of WHPP’s combined with the validated framework of Steckler & Linnan (2002) for the evaluation of interventions. The components of the RE-AIM model focus on the implementation (reach, recruitment, dose delivered, dose received, fidelity, and satisfaction/ Effect) whereas the components of the framework of Steckler & Linnan (2002) focus on the determinants which influence the implementation; 1) characteristics of the socio-political context, 2) characteristics of the organization, 3) characteristics of the implementer, 4) characteristics of the intervention program, 5) characteristics of the participant.