title: HealthLinks randomized controlled trial: Design and baseline results.
abstract: Small employers, especially those in low-wage industries, frequently lack the capacity and resources to implement evidence-based health promotion interventions without support and assistance. The purpose of this paper is to (a) describe the intervention design and study protocol of the HealthLinks Trial and (b) report baseline findings. This study is a three-arm randomized controlled trial testing the impact of the HealthLinks intervention on worksites' adoption and implementation of evidence-based interventions. Group 1 will receive HealthLinks, Group 2 will receive HealthLinks plus wellness committees, and Group 3 will be a delayed control group. Seventy-eight employers are participating in the study; and 3302 employees across the worksites participated in the baseline data collection. Employers and employees will participate in follow-up surveys at one and two years after baseline to measure implementation (one year) and maintenance (two years) of HealthLinks interventions. Study outcomes will determine whether HealthLinks is an effective approach to increasing evidence-based health promotion in small, low-wage worksites and whether wellness committees are a capacity-building tool that increases HealthLinks' effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion Research Center, Department of Health Services, University of Washington, 1107 NE 45th St., Ste. 200, Seattle, WA 98015, United States. Electronic address: peggyh@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Peggy A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hannon
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion Research Center, Department of Health Services, University of Washington, 1107 NE 45th St., Ste. 200, Seattle, WA 98015, United States. Electronic address: khammerb@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hammerback
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion Research Center, Department of Health Services, University of Washington, 1107 NE 45th St., Ste. 200, Seattle, WA 98015, United States. Electronic address: clallen@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Claire L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion Research Center, Department of Health Services, University of Washington, 1107 NE 45th St., Ste. 200, Seattle, WA 98015, United States. Electronic address: parrisha@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Amanda T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Parrish
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Box 357232, Seattle, WA 98195-7232, United States. Electronic address: kcgchan@uw.edu.
authors.forename: K Gary
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion Research Center, Department of Health Services, University of Washington, 1107 NE 45th St., Ste. 200, Seattle, WA 98015, United States. Electronic address: marlana@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Marlana J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kohn
authors.affiliation: American Cancer Society, Inc., 2120 First Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, United States.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teague
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Washington, F358B, Seattle, WA 98196-7230, United States. Electronic address: beresfrd@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Shirley A A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Beresford
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Services, R&D 1660 S. Columbian Way (S-152), Seattle, WA 98108, United States. Electronic address: Christian.helfrich@va.gov.
authors.forename: Christian D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Helfrich
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion Research Center, Department of Health Services, University of Washington, 1107 NE 45th St., Ste. 200, Seattle, WA 98015, United States. Electronic address: jh7@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D010174:Pamphlets; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D017132:Workplace; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Evidence-based interventions; Randomized controlled trial; Workplace health promotion