An investigation of the health-promoting practices of Australian universities. (12th February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McDonald, Hayden; Gould, Ryan; Delaney, Deborah; Vecchio, Nerina
• Is Part Of: Health promotion international. Volume 36:Number 5(2021)
• Page Start: 1403
• Page End: 1412
• Publication Date: 2021-02-12
• Subjects: employee -- employer -- healthy settings -- implementation -- programmes; Health promotion -- Periodicals; 362.1
• DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daab004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0957-4824

Abstract

Summary: Workplace health promotion programmes (WHPPs) are more likely to succeed where design and implementation account for the influence of health's complex, systemic nature. Thus, a greater understanding of how frameworks developed to progress WHPPs are operationalized across different countries and industries is needed. This study investigates health concerns targeted in an underexplored setting—Australian universities, describing how diverse programmes are implemented to target different health issues and health risk factors. Content analysis is used to outline how Australian universities implement WHPPs to target diverse health concerns. Content from 497 website documents is collected and analysed using NVivo software. A framework for examining diverse WHPPs currently used in practice is developed. Based on this framework, it was evident that Australian universities emphasized initiatives targeting health issues focusing on 'mental health' and 'diabetes'. Regarding health risk factors, 'alcohol and other addictions', 'discrimination and harassment', and 'physical activity' were emphasized. Links between different health concerns targeted and corresponding WHPPs implemented, provide workplaces with a benchmark for designing and implementing programmes. University WHPPs targeted a diverse range of health concerns when enough legal and political motivations to do so existed. These findings about the motivations for improving employee health indicate a potential gap between health promotion benefits reported in literature and the appreciation for these benefits in practice. Lay Summary: This study investigates the employee health concerns targeted by the WHPPs of Australian universities. The aim is to identify how Australian universities implement WHPPs to target the different health issues and health risk factors of their employees. Health concerns can differ depending on factors such as the countries, industries or demographics of employees. Therefore, it is important for workplaces to consider the complex nature of health when designing and implementing WHPPs. Content from 497 website documents is analysed in this study and used to outline how Australian universities target diverse health concerns through a range of WHPPs. From this analysis, a framework for examining the different WHPPs currently being used by Australian workplaces is developed. Based on this framework, it was evident that Australian universities emphasized initiatives targeting health issues focusing on 'mental health' and 'diabetes'. Regarding health risk factors, 'alcohol and other addictions', 'discrimination and harassment', and 'physical activity' were emphasized. Links identified in this study, between different health concerns targeted and corresponding WHPPs implemented, provide workplaces with a benchmark for designing and implementing programmes.