Faculty and staff health promotion: results from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006.
BACKGROUND
US schools employ an estimated 6.7 million workers and are thus an ideal setting for employee wellness programs. This article describes the characteristics of school employee wellness programs in the United States, including state-, district-, and school-level policies and programs.


METHODS
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts the School Health Policies and Programs Study every 6 years. In 2006, computer-assisted telephone interviews or self-administered mail questionnaires were completed by state education agency personnel in 49 states plus the District of Columbia and among a nationally representative sample of school districts (n=445). Computer-assisted personal interviews were conducted with personnel in a nationally representative sample of elementary, middle, and high schools (n=873).


RESULTS
During the 2 years preceding the study, 67.3% of states provided assistance to districts or schools on how to develop or implement faculty and staff health promotion activities or services. Although nearly all schools offered at least 1 health promotion service or activity, few schools offered coordinated activities and services within a comprehensive employee wellness program. During the 12 months preceding the study, none of the health screenings were offered by more than one third of schools; only a few of the health promotion activities and services were offered by more than one third of schools; about one third of schools offered physical activity programs, employee assistance programs, and subsidies or discounts for off-site health promotion activities; and only 1 in 10 schools provided health-risk appraisals for faculty and staff.


CONCLUSIONS
More schools should implement comprehensive employee wellness programs to improve faculty and staff health behaviors and health status.
Eaton
Danice K
DK
Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS K-33, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. dhe@cdc.gov
Marx
Eva
E
Bowie
Sara E
SE
D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D005178:Faculty; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016272:Occupational Health; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States