Wellness Program Blog

Effective Wellness includes the use of data sources in support of Wellness Program planning, implementation, and evaluation. Data sources can be used to complete a community needs assessment, develop realistic Wellness Program goals and objectives, and gain Senior Management support.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Data and statistics

• http://www.cdc.gov/DataStatistics/
• Data and statistics are available by topic (i.e., asthma, injuries, MRSA).
• Data access tools are available to customize data tables and query datasets (i.e., Healthy People DATA2010, Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Morbidity, and Economic Costs).
• Nationwide survey data is available (i.e., National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)).

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

• http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/index.htm
• BRFSS is the world’s largest, ongoing telephone health survey system. BRFSS has been tracking health conditions and risk behaviors in the US yearly since 1984.
• Chronic Disease Indicators are divided into seven categories: physical activity and nutrition, tobacco and alcohol use, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, overarching conditions, and other disease and risk factors.
• Prevalence data is also available (i.e., weight classification by Body Mass Index and age).

Keeping Wellness Program data organized is essential in order to be able to determine Wellness Program impact and participant progress. Use the simple steps below to keep your data organized.

Manage Wellness Program data electronically.

• Storing Wellness Program outcomes data electronically is the best way to manage that information.
• An electronic system will enable you to review and analyze the data more efficiently.
• Scan old surveys and other Wellness Program information that exist only on paper into .pdf format for permanent storage.

Find the Wellness Program system that works best for you.

• Some people are more comfortable with spreadsheet applications; others prefer to work with database applications.
• You will be more likely to use a Wellness Program that you are familiar and/or comfortable with.
• Standardize data collection and organization. Keep data columns/fields in the same order for all Wellness Programs.

Keep the Wellness Program as simple as possible.

• You do not have to be a Wellness Programming wizard or use complicated data entry interfaces in order to manage Wellness Program outcomes data.
• A simple spreadsheet is an excellent way to keep your data organized.

Store all Wellness Program data numerically.

• Using numbers (instead of words) will make the data much easier to enter and analyze. For example: use “1” for yes; “0” for no OR “1” for male; “2” for female.
• Number survey responses that contain strings of words. For example: instead of entering the responses: “patient education videos”, “news,” or “no TV,” number the responses so you only have to enter “1,” “2,” or “3.”

Label all Wellness Program data clearly.

• Make sure all the data columns, rows, or fields are labeled. The data is worthless if you don’t know what data is in which column.
• The spreadsheet/database should include an explanation for column, row, field, and data abbreviations and a key for numbered responses.

Use consistent Wellness Program data units.

• Make sure all data entered into a given column is expressed with the same unit of measure. For example, enter all heights as total inches, not as a combination of feet and inches.
Putting your data in order by using a simple system that works for you will enable you to track participant accomplishments. Keeping your data organized also makes it easier to communicate Wellness Program impact to leadership and make Wellness Program improvements as needed.

What is Wellness Program data?

Wellness Program data is information that is collected about your Wellness Program. All Wellness Programs should include data as an integral part of the Wellness Program plan.

Why should you care about Wellness Program data?

Data tells the Wellness story. Data is the tangible evidence of a Wellness Program’s impact.

Building data into Wellness Programs

Why bother with Wellness Program Data?

You need health promotio program data to:
• Evaluate whether or not your Wellness Program is working.
• Answer the ‘so what?’ about the need for a Wellness Program.
• Provide information to Senior Management about the impact of the Wellness Program.
• Write a budget justification so you can secure Wellness Program resources.
• Use Wellness Program resources efficiently and market your Wellness Program more effectively.

Where to begin collecting Wellness Program data:
• MAKE A PLAN to collect the data: decide what, when, and how data will be collected.
• Find out what data is ALREADY BEING COLLECTED.
o For example: use dairy sales data in the dining facility to measure the impact of a milk marketing/dairy month campaign.
• Start collecting JUST A FEW small pieces of information. Be creative!
o For example: BMI, APFT scores (before & after), tobacco quit rates

IT’S NEVER TO LATE TO START collecting Wellness Program data.

Innovative Wellness Program data strategies

• Use local college/graduate students to help collect, input, and analyze Wellness Program data.
• If your company has an internship program, get to know the Internship Director. Take advantage of intern resources – including having the Director and/or interns implement the data collection plan for your Wellness Program.
• Use data to let senior management know about the Wellness Programs affect on the employees.

Present this information at their monthly/quarterly meetings.
• Use creative follow-up strategies to get data. Phone calls can be effective, but also consider email, mailed surveys with return postage provided, and going to the units in person to collect the information.
• Make data collection ‘fun’ for Wellness Program participants.
o For example: use a team approach – the team with the ‘best’ overall results gets some sort of award or recognition.
• ALWAYS relate the impact of your Wellness Program to readiness.