title: Free choice access to multipoint wellness education and related services positively impacts employee wellness: a randomized and controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Examine effects of voluntary participation in employer-sponsored, multipoint wellness education programming on employee wellness.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized and controlled design was used to organize 96 participants into an education + access group; an access-only group, and control group. Outcome measures were made at start and end of a 12-week intervention period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Education + access improved wellness knowledge, which, in turn, enhanced life satisfaction, employee morale, and energy, and nearly improved stress level. Those who received facility access without educational programming did not reap health benefits. Employees voluntarily used the fitness facility and healthy meal cards only 1.3 and 1.5 times per week, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants made limited and likely inadequate use of wellness opportunities. As a result, physical health benefits (eg, blood pressure, fitness parameters) were not seen in the present study. However, multipoint wellness education resulted in psychosocial health benefits in 12 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise & Sport Sciences, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA. sforzo@ithaca.edu
authors.forename: Gary A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Sforzo
authors.forename: Miranda P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Calleri
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ngai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000379:methods; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D055815:Young Adult