Health screenings are among the best-attended wellness programs, according to the results of an exclusive workplace wellness management survey conducted by Wellness Program Management Advisor and Wellness Junction.

The study is the first of a series of ongoing surveys that will be conducted throughout the year by the newsletter and Web site staff.

Screenings

Twenty-eight percent of the respondents said health screenings attracted the most employee participation at their places of business, the survey found. The health screenings covered a variety of wellness subjects and health concerns, including the following, according to the survey:

• Breast cancer detection/mammograms.
• Cholesterol testing/lipid screenings.
• Blood pressure screenings.
• Bone density/osteoporosis testing.
• Diabetes testing.
• Cardiac health screenings.
• Glucose screenings.

Several respondents said the health screening programs offered at their work sites attracted more than 70 percent of the respective employee populations.

Stress Management

Relaxation and stress management programs also ranked high among employee participants, the study discovered; approximately 15 percent of the respondents said programs of this nature were among the best-attended offered by their wellness departments.

Simplify Your Life and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs were among the most popular stress management programs, respondents said. (Editor’s Note: Please refer to the May 2002 issue of this newsletter for information on MBSR.)

Although massage therapy, yoga, Tai Chi and other relaxation exercise programs also were included in the general fitness category by many respondents, others listed them as part of stress management program efforts, according to the statistics.

Exercise And Nutrition

Employees showed great interest in various types of nutrition and exercise programs, according to the survey.

Nine percent of the respondents said walking was the most popular employee wellness activity. Seven percent of the respondents said any variety of exercise program attracts sizeable employee participation, while 5 percent said the use of onsite fitness centers is the biggest draw.

Weight loss and weight management programs, especially those that focus on exercise and nutrition, were cited by approximately 7 percent of the respondents. Nutrition programs that offered healthy cooking techniques also gained popularity among employees, the study reported.

Health Fairs, Seminars And Counseling Sessions

Eight percent of the respondents said health fairs were among their companies’ best-attended wellness programs. Health fairs that focused on a general variety of subjects attracted more attendees than gatherings that concentrated on more specialized issues, such as diabetes detection and management, according to the findings.

However, single-subject health fairs and seminars, such as those dealing with coronary health and rehabilitation, and sessions on coping with change in the workplace were among the best-attended programs cited by approximately 2 percent of the respondents, the study determined.

Individual counseling sessions that focused on personal issues; general assessment programs; parenting classes; health risk assessments (general); programs on alternative medicine and holistic approaches; eye surgery options; and immunization clinics were listed as well-attended programs by approximately 13 percent of the respondents.

Address: Wellness Program Management Advisor, 1913 Atlantic Ave., Suite F4, Manasquan, NJ 08736; (732) 292-1100, www.wellnessjunction.com.