Adoption and Implementation Barriers for Worksite Health Programs in the United States

Worksite health promotion programs have been identified as having the potential to mitigate chronic health risks. In the most recent 2017 U.S. CDC survey of workplace health promotion, respondents identified several perceived barriers related to program adoption and implementation. The analysis indicates that challenges negatively associated with having worksite program were lack of senior management support (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.32–0.78), lack of qualified vendors (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.4–0.79), lack of qualified personnel (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.35–0.73), and cost (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.39–0.88). Challenges associated with having a program were lack of employee interest (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.44–3.03), lack of space (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.26–2.48), and demonstrating program results (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.44–3.03). These findings can provide insights to policy makers, insurers, and employers seeking to implement workplace-based health promotion initiatives.