title: Factors related to participatory employee advisory boards in small, blue-collar worksites.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify factors related to formation, participation, and characteristics of employee advisory boards (EABs) in blue-collar worksites.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used a nonexperimental qualitative design to assess EAB formation, activity, and enthusiasm levels and examined those factors relative to employee participation in worksite-wide health promotion activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two blue-collar worksites with a total of 113 EAB members in the greater Seattle area.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals who agreed to serve on EABs in the intervention worksites.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants received training in involving employees in the 5-A-Day project intervention activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measures include type of worksite, number of EAB members, method of EAB recruitment, and variables describing EAB functioning, including attendance at meetings, assistance at project activities, and level of enthusiasm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All worksites formed EABs. There was no association between the way the EAB was formed and subsequent EAB attendance at meetings, participation in project activities, representativeness of the EAB, or level of EAB enthusiasm. Enthusiasm of the EAB was associated with employee participation, and EABs with a higher level of enthusiasm showed more participation by employees than worksites with less enthusiastic EABs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible to develop participatory structures in small, blue-collar worksites. More information is needed about factors related to levels of enthusiasm of EABs.
authors: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue N, M3-B232, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. bthompso@fhcrc.org
authors: Beti
authors: B
authors: Thompson
authors: Peggy A
authors: PA
authors: Hannon
authors: Sonia K
authors: SK
authors: Bishop
authors: Briana E
authors: BE
authors: West
authors: Amber K
authors: AK
authors: Peterson
authors: Shirley A A
authors: SA
authors: Beresford
mesh_terms: D026683:Advisory Committees / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D014861:Washington; D017132:Workplace