Impact of an Employee Health and Wellness Coaching Program on Self-Reported Stress, Physical Health, and Mental Health in Hospital and University Employees.

BACKGROUND

In university and hospital workplace environments, high levels of stress coupled with physical and mental health issues are major drivers of employee health, healthcare costs, and workplace productivity. Workplace well-being programs can help employees manage stress and promote healthy behaviors. One approach to addressing stress and the physical and mental health of employees from a whole-person health perspective is integrative health and wellness coaching (IHWC). IHWC incorporates principles of motivational interviewing, positive psychology, transtheoretical model of behavior change and self-determination theory.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose was to evaluate a novel IHWC program that included group coaching, individual coaching, and a post-program text message intervention to support the maintenance of program outcomes, at an East Coast university and its affiliated hospital.

METHODS

The 12-week program consisted of 6 group sessions and 6 individual sessions followed by a randomized text message-based maintenance strategy between weeks 12 and 18. IHWC sessions were conducted by National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coaches (NBC-HWC) and student trainees obtaining hours needed for eligibility for board certification (SHWC). Employee participants (n = 50) completed baseline and follow-up surveys at weeks 5, 12, 18, and 24. Outcomes included perceived stress measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and mental and physical health measured by the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS-10).

RESULTS

At baseline, employees in both the university and hospital setting reported moderate levels of stress, and perceived physical and mental health that were poorer than the national average. Multivariate analyses showed significant improvements in mental health, physical health, and stress scores from baseline to 12 weeks. Significant improvements endured at 18 and 24 weeks for physical health and stress, which were not enhanced by the text messaging intervention.

CONCLUSION

IHWC shows promise as an approach to support employees working in high stress environments.