title: Impact of a Workplace Health Promotion Program on Employees' Blood Pressure in a Public University.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Workplace health promotion is important in the prevention of non-communicable diseases among employees. Previous workplace health programs have shown benefits such as lowered disease prevalence, reduced medical costs and improved productivity. This study aims to evaluate the impact of a 6-year workplace health promotion program on employees' blood pressure in a public university.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective cohort study, we included 1,365 employees enrolled in the university's workplace health promotion program, a program conducted since 2008 and using data from the 2008-2013 follow-up period. Participants were permanent employees aged 35 years and above, with at least one follow up measurements and no change in antihypertensive medication during the study period. Baseline socio-demographic information was collected using a questionnaire while anthropometry measurements and resting blood pressure were collected during annual health screening. Changes in blood pressure over time were analyzed using a linear mixed model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The systolic blood pressure in the hypertension subgroup decreased 2.36 mmHg per year (p<0.0001). There was also significant improvement in systolic blood pressure among the participants who were at risk of hypertension (-0.75 mmHg, p<0.001). The diastolic blood pressure among the hypertensive and at risk subgroups improved 1.76 mmHg/year (p<0.001) and 0.56 mmHg/year (p<0.001), respectively. However, there was no change in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure among participants in the healthy subgroup over the 6-year period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that continuing participation in workplace health promotion program has the potential to improve blood pressure levels among employees.
authors: Julius Centre University of Malaya, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: J Y
authors: JY
authors: Eng
authors: Julius Centre University of Malaya, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: F M
authors: FM
authors: Moy
authors: Julius Centre University of Malaya, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Bulgiba
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014495:Universities; D017132:Workplace