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An Evaluation and Validation of the Discover Wellness Worksite Health Promotion Program Across Three Locations

Elizabeth Keida, Jessica Harris, and Barry A. Friedman

The BRC Academy Journal of Business

Volume 13

Number 1

Print ISSN: 2152-8721 Online ISSN: 2152-8721

Date: April 15, 2023

First Page 129

Last Page 146

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15239/j.brcacadjb.2023.13.01.ja06

Abstract

Aligned with their mission and strategies, many organizations strive to make positive societal contributions, including employee behavior change strategies that promote wellness and stress management skills. Such programs are paramount among employees that experience extraordinary challenges due to COVID-19 and communities severely impacted by high rates of heart disease, stroke, and obesity. We therefore describe “Discover Wellness'', a health promotion intervention to improve health behaviors in teachers and staff employees at three New York locations. The intervention, a collaborative effort between two academia and one community field location, aimed to promote healthy behaviors. A mixed methods approach was used to evaluate the program. Employees that participated in Discover Wellness reported significant increases for all four areas of interest: managing stress, improved nutrition, more physical activity, and better sleep. Lessons learned and future research are addressed.

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