Factors related to participatory employee advisory boards in small, blue-collar worksites.
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.
Thompson
Beti
B
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue N, M3-B232, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. bthompso@fhcrc.org
Hannon
Peggy A
PA
Bishop
Sonia K
SK
West
Briana E
BE
Peterson
Amber K
AK
Beresford
Shirley A A
SA
D026683:Advisory Committees / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D014861:Washington; D017132:Workplace