title: Healthy workplaces? A survey of Massachusetts employers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines worksite health promotion (WHP) and occupational health and safety (OHS) activities by Massachusetts employers, and the extent to which workplaces with programming in one domain were more likely to have the other as well.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2008, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health surveyed a stratified sample of Massachusetts worksites.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mailed questionnaire to be completed by workplace representatives.
  
  
  METHODS
  Massachusetts worksites returning the questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaire items about worksite characteristics, WHP, and some OHS practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  We scored levels of WHP and OHS activity; examined the relationship between activities in the two domains by employer characteristics; and assessed self-reported coordination between them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 890 responding worksites had higher scores for OHS (mean = 48% of practices, SD = 24%) than WHP (mean = 20%, SD = 12%). The difference between these scores varied by a factor of two across industry sectors and was smallest for workforces of 100+ employees (p = .001). Employers with no unionized workers reported fewer activities in both domains (p < .0001). Only 28% of respondents reported always/often coordinating OHS and WHP efforts; these organizations had more activities overall in both domains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Larger and unionized workplaces in Massachusetts were more likely to offer both WHP and OHS programming. Self-reported coordination was somewhat associated with more activity in both domains, although levels of WHP activity varied widely.
authors.affiliation: Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 1 University Avenue, Lowell, MA 01854, USA. Patricia_tremblay@student.uml.edu
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nobrega
authors.forename: Letitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erck
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Punnett
mesh_terms: D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D016272:Occupational Health; D009786:Occupational Health Services; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace