Integration of a Nutrition Blog into a Hospital’s Employee Wellness

ProgramRebecca Scofield, MS

Underwood-Memorial HospitalARAMARK Dietetic Internship

May 15, 2012

IntroductionObesity-Related Costs

Exceed $110 billion annually1

Medical expenses 30% greater than normal-weight Americans2

Wellness ProgramsReduce obesity-related costs Involve incentives, both cash and otherwise Incorporate healthy activitiesRemote multimedia interventions (e.g. internet) as

successful as traditional activities3

1.  Finkelstein  EA, Fiebelkorn IC, Wang G. National medical  spending attributable to overweight and obesity: how much and who’s paying? Health Aff. 2003. Suppl Web Exclusives: W3:219-226.

2. Withrow D,  Alter DA. The economic burden of obesity worldwide: a systematic  review  of  the  direct  costs  of  obesity.  Obes  Rev.  2011;12(2): 131-41.3. Appel  LJ, Clark JM, Yeh HC, Wang NY, Coughlin JW,  Daumit G, Miller  ER, Dalcin A, Jerome  GJ,  Geller S, Noronha  G,  Pozefsky  T,  Charleston  J,   Reynolds  JB,  Durkin  N,

 Rubin  RR,  Louis  TA,  Branca. FL.  Comparative effectiveness  of weight‐loss  interventions  in clinical  practice.  N  Engl  J  Med   2011;365(21):1959-68.

Emerging TrendsEmerging Trends in Dietetics highlighted

throughout the project:Employee wellness programs/managed careObesity EpidemicUsing multimedia/social networking and

integrating technology in dietetics

BackgroundNutrition Interventions

Diet-related employee wellness interventions influence nutrition knowledge, food intake, and health

Reduce absenteeism and increase productivity4

Nutrition interventions can be integrated as part of wellness programs

Combining a social media approach (blog) with nutrition education:Easily accessible Inexpensive Independent-learning wellness program

intervention Jensen JD. Can worksite nutri.onal interven.ons improve produc.vity and firm profitability? A literature review. Perspect Public Health 2011;131 (4):184- 92.‐

Research QuestionThe purpose of this research was to determine if

an online nutrition blog at Underwood-Memorial Hospital (U-MH) would increase awareness and participation in the employee wellness program and influence healthy behaviors among participants.

U-MH Wellness ProgramWellness Passport documents various wellness

events and activities for participantsAll employees able to participate, only those

with U-MH health insurance can get cash incentives

Wellness fairs, walking club, healthy lunch purchases, health survey, annual physical, etc

2011: 36 participants completed and turned in Wellness Passports

Methods: ParticipantsAll employees have access to the blog via

the blog’s website and from the hospital’s intranet site, the Pulse

8 individuals responded to blog posts with questions

25 individuals completed survey posted on the blog and linked to the Pulse

Methods: ResourcesNo monetary cost

Free blog hosting site (Google Blogger)Free marketing on the Pulse, Rebecca

advertising at wellness fairsFree survey site (Survey Monkey)

Time and knowledge from dietetic intern, project coordinators, Clinical Nutrition Manager, VP of Human Resources, Wellness Committee

Methods:Blog Implementation

5 Biweekly posts from January to March 2012Developed and hosted on Google BloggerCooperation from and integration into existing

wellness program at U-MHParticipants awarded Wellness Passport Point for

responding to 3 blog posts via email or commentRebecca the dietetic intern responded individually to

each questionAwarded additional point for completing post-

survey developed through Survey Monkey

Sample Blog Post

Blog Website: www.umhnutrition.blogspot.com

Methods: OutcomesPrimary Outcomes:

Awareness of wellness programParticipation in wellness programParticipants’ healthy behaviors

Measured using blog website statistics, U-MH Wellness Committee data, and survey

Results

TOTAL VIEWS

#5 Vegetarian Diet

#4 Sweeteners

#3 Essential Fatty Acids

#2 Antioxidants

#1 Fiber

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Page views

Results

ResultsCharts demonstrating increased participation and influence

on healthy choices:"This blog has increased

my overall participation in the Employee Wellness

program at U-MH."Strongly Agree (25%)Somewhat Agree (60.7%)Somewhat Disagree (14.3%)Strongly Disagree (0)

"How likely are you to use the food and nutrition information

you have learned to make healthy choices in your life?"

Extremely Likely (30.8%)Very Likely (57.7%)Slightly Likely (11.5%)Not at all Likely (0%)

Discussion of Findings Related to increased awareness:

Majority of employees who were new to the wellness program stated the blog was their first activity

75.8% said the blog introduced them to wellness program activities they were previously unaware of

Discussion of FindingsRelated to increased participation:

Half of those who responded to the blog did not participate in the 2011 wellness program, indicating the blog recruited new participants who earned Passport points

89.7% strongly or somewhat agreed that the blog increased their overall participation in the program

Discussion of FindingsRelated to incorporating healthy

behaviors:Majority of participants claimed the

blog enhanced their nutrition knowledge

88.5% are extremely or very likely to use information learned to incorporate healthy behaviors in their lives

Additional SurveyQuestions and Responses

I feel this blog has enhanced my nutrition knowledgeStrongly Agree 10 38.5%Somewhat Agree 14 53.8%Somewhat Disagree 2 7.7%Strongly Disagree 0 0%

I would like to see a nutrition blog continued in the future.Strongly Agree 15 60%Somewhat Agree 10 40%Somewhat Disagree 0 0%Strongly Disagree 0 0%

ConclusionsLimitations:

Sample sizeOnly 8 people responded to blog posts for a point

Unable to demonstrate increased participation by tallying total points for the year (time frame)Could have used additional quantitative

No pre-post test to measure nutrition knowledge before and after blog

Additional outcomes:More people viewed site than earned point, indicating

that it was wide-reaching despite participation

ConclusionsNutrition blog increased awareness, participation,

and influenced employees to make healthy choices

The blog provides reliable, easily accessible nutrition information to large audiences

With a free blog as part of a wellness program, employers can reduce healthcare expenses with no risk

Due to the blog’s success, it will continue at U-MH under direction of the Clinical Nutrition Manager

Thanks to:Underwood-Memorial Hospital’s Wellness

CommitteeRob Manestrino, Vice President of Human

ResourcesRosanne Leibhart, MS, RD, CNSC, Clinical

Nutrition ManagerKrystyna Bowen, Project CoordinatorLisa DeHaven, MS, RD, LDN, ARAMARK Dietetic

Internship Director

Questions?