Workplace Health Promotion Programs Available to Emergency Medical Services Clinicians in North Carolina

Abstract

Background

Emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians demonstrate a high prevalence of chronic medical conditions that place them at risk for early mortality. Workplace health promotion programs improve health outcomes, but the availably of such programs for EMS clinicians has not been described. We investigate the availability, scope, and participation of workplace health promotion programs available to EMS clinicians in North Carolina (NC).

Methods

We administered an electronic survey based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Worksite Health ScoreCard to key representatives of EMS agencies within NC that provide primarily transport-capable 9-1-1 response with ground ambulances. We collected information on agency size, rurality, elements of health promotion programs offered, incentives for participation, and participation rate. We calculated descriptive statistics using frequency and percentage for worksite and health promotion program characteristics. We compared the participation rate for agencies who did and did not incentivize participation using Fisher’s exact test.

Results

Complete responses were received from 69 of 92 agencies (response = 75%) that collectively employ 6679 EMS clinicians [median employees per agency 71 (IQR 50–131)]. Most agencies (88.4%, 61/69) offered at least one element of a worksite health program, but only 13.0% (9/69) offered all elements of a worksite health program. In descending order, the availability of program elements were employee assistance programs (73.9%, 51/69), supportive physical and social environment (66.7%, 46/69), health education (62.3%, 43/69), health risk assessments (52.2%, 36/69), and organization culture of health promotion (20.3%, 14/69). Of agencies with programs, few (11.5%, 7/61) required participation, but most (59.0%, 36/61) offered incentives to participate. Participation rates were <25% among nearly all of the agencies that did not offer incentives, but >50% among most agencies that did offer incentives (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

While most agencies offer at least one element of a worksite health promotion program, few agencies offer all elements and participation rates are low.

Acknowledgments

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Office of EMS for their assistance with study design and coordination with participating agencies.

Disclosure statement

Dr. Supples receives funding from the NIH [UL1TR001420], the National Foundation of Emergency Medicine, and HRSA [1H2ARH399760100). Dr. Snavely receives funding from Abbott and HRSA [1H2ARH399760100]. Dr. Stopyra receives research funding from NCATS/NIH [KL2TR001421], HRSA [H2ARH39976-01-00], Roche Diagnostics, Abbott Laboratories, Pathfast, Genetesis, Cytovale, Forest Devices, Vifor Pharma, and Chiesi Farmaceutici. Dr. Mahler receives funding/support from Roche Diagnostics, Abbott Laboratories, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Siemens, Grifols, Pathfast, Quidel, Genetesis, Cytovale, and HRSA [1H2ARH399760100]. He is a consultant for Roche, Quidel, Abbott, Genetesis, Inflammatix, Radiometer, and Amgen, and the chief medical officer for Impathiq Inc. The other authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.