title: Perspectives on Workplace Health Promotion Among Employees in Low-Wage Industries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Study goals were to (1) understand the attitudes of employees in low-wage industries toward workplace health promotion, including views on appropriateness of employer involvement in employee health and level of interest in workplace health promotion overall and in specific programs, and (2) determine the potential for extending workplace health promotion to spouses and partners of these employees.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used 42 interviews of 60 to 90 minutes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interviews were conducted with couples (married or living together) in the Seattle/King County metropolitan area of Washington State.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study participants were forty-two couples with one or more members working in one of five low-wage industries: accommodation/food services, education, health care/social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study employed qualitative analysis of interview transcripts using grounded theory to identify themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Employees consider workplace health promotion both appropriate and desirable and believe it benefits employers through increased productivity and morale. Most have little personal experience with it and doubt their employers would prioritize employee health. Employees are most interested in efforts focused on nutrition and physical activity. Both employees and their partners support extending workplace health promotion to include partners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Employees and their partners are interested in workplace health promotion if it addresses behaviors they care about. Concern over employer involvement in their personal health decisions is minimal; instead, employees view employer interest in their health as a sign that they are valued.
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hammerback
authors.forename: Peggy A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hannon
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clegg-Thorp
authors.forename: Marlana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kohn
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parrish
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D014861:Washington; D017132:Workplace; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Domestic Partners; Health Promotion; Health focus: fitness/physical activity, nutrition, weight control, smoking control; Manuscript format: research; Outcome measure: behavioral; Prevention Research; Research purpose: descriptive; Setting: workplace; Spouses; Strategy: skill building/behavioral change, policy, culture change; Study design: qualitative; Workplace