1. Worksite Wellness
in Arkansas
Presented by
Helen Weir (ADH) & Rhonda Hill (ACHI)
October 21, 2010
2. Economic Burden of Chronic Disease
• U.S. spends $2.2 trillion on health care
annually
• .75 cents of every dollar is spent on
managing chronic conditions
• One-third of the cost alone
is due to obesity
3. Economic Burden of Chronic Disease
Reported Cases in Arkansas, (projected 2009
and as % of population)
Cancers (all): 149,896 5.2%
Diabetes: 146,964 5.1%
Heart Disease: 249,276 8.7%
Hypertension: 470,771 16.5%
Stroke: 33,491 1.2%
Emotional Disturbances: 305,331 10.7%
Pulmonary Conditions: 542,322 19.0%
4. Economic Burden of Chronic Disease
Economic impact in Arkansas, projected 2009
(Annual Cost in Billions)
Treatment Expenditures: $3.65
Lost Productivity: $17.2
Total Costs: $20.85
6. Collaboration & Partnership
Arkansas Department of Health
Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
Arkansas Coalition for Obesity Prevention (ArCOP)
7. Arkansas Coalition for Obesity Prevention
• Grassroots, statewide collaboration that
stemmed from 2007 Southern Regional Obesity
Summit
• Identified that we were all working toward the
same goal – yet separately
• Pooled resources, work plans, and overarching
goals and objectives
• 200 + members with over 75 partnering entities
8. ArCOP
Mission: to improve the health of all Arkansas
communities by increasing physical activity and
healthy eating to reduce and prevent obesity.
Vision: all Arkansans value and practice healthy
lifestyles through created and supported
opportunities of increasing physical activity and
healthy eating.
Goal: Increase the percentage of Arkansans of all
ages who have access to healthy and affordable
food and who engage in regular physical activity.
9. Coalition Partners
American Cancer Society Community Health Centers of Arkansas
American Heart Association Daughters of Charity Services of Arkansas - SE AR
Arkansas Academy of Pediatrics Delta AHEC
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Family Delta OPRU, ARS, USDA
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield Evangelistic Ministries
Arkansas Center for Health Improvement Frueauff Foundation
Arkansas Children‟s Hospital Heifer International
Arkansas Community Foundation Hendrix University
Arkansas Coordinated School Health JB Hunt Transport Services
Arkansas Department of Education Kutak Rock Firm
Arkansas Department of Health LifeSynch
Arkansas Department of Human Services Metroplan
Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care Midwest Dairy Council
Arkansas Governor's Office North Arkansas Partnership for Health Education
Arkansas Head Start State Collaboration Office North Little Rock First United Methodist Church
Arkansas Head Start TA Network PE4Life Academy (Rogers, AR)
Arkansas Hunger Alliance Pfizer
Arkansas Injury Prevention Center, Phoenix Youth and Family Services
Arkansas Minority Health Commission Pulaski Technical College
Arkansas Parks and Tourism Results Fitness 24/7
Arkansas State Highway and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Center to Prevent
Transportation Department Childhood Obesity
Arkansas State & Public School Safe Routes to School Program
Employee Life & Health Insurance Plan St. Francis House Community Clinic (Northwest AR)
Arkansas State University United States Department of Agriculture, ARS
Baptist Health University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Central Arkansas Transit Authority University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Clinton School of Public Service University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
ComMetrics Inc.
10. Examples of Non-Traditional Partners
• Metroplan
• CATA
• JB Hunt Transportation Services
• NLR First United Methodist Church
• Evangelistic Ministries
• US Department of Agriculture
• AR Hwy and Transportation
• AR Parks and Tourism
• AR Game and Fish
• AARP
11. ArCOP Workgroups
Access to Healthy Foods Built Environment
Determine existing needs statewide and among Collaborate with city and town planners to
various sub-populations regarding access to promote physical activity by developing
healthy foods pedestrian and bicycle friendly neighborhoods
Identify existing programs that support access to that offer convenient, pleasant, and safe non-
healthy foods and determine additional motorized links between residences, schools,
programming and service needs shopping, and recreational facilities
WORKGROUPS
Identify programmatic barriers and determine Encourage active lifestyles by incorporating well
strategies and resources needed for designed, mixed-use development that permits
successful implementation high quality of life with reduced need for
vehicles to conduct daily activities
Worksite Wellness Health Care
Empower employers to combat obesity in the Engage with providers and insurers to improve
workplace quality of life and reduce total long-term costs
Collaborate with local, state, and national of health care due to obesity and related
resources to identify best practices for chronic disease
workplace obesity intervention programs in an Collaborate with health care providers, employers
effort to decrease obesity and other chronic and other organizations who are purchasers of
diseases across Arkansas coverage and insurance companies or other
payers to ensure coverage for obesity
Early Childhood and Schools
Collaborate with parents and communities to create a unified environment that promotes
healthy eating and physical activity
13. Worksite Wellness Work Plan
Goal: Increase the percentage of Arkansans of all
ages who have access to healthy and affordable
food and who engage in regular physical activity.
Strategy: Improve worksite health environments.
14. Worksite Wellness Work Plan
Objectives:
• Establish an electronic clearinghouse for model
worksite wellness programs and resources.
• Double the size of the Arkansas worksite
stakeholder group.
• Hold 5 regional worksite health summits.
• Create healthy worksite award.
• Encourage development of policy/system
change to support healthy worksite
environments.
15. Regional Summits
• Five Regional Summits+ one
• Marketing
• Partner involvement
• Lessons learned
• Evaluation results
17. Resources
• AHELP New web site for State of Arkansas
workforce
http://ahelp.arkansas.gov
• Sister web site for state employees, businesses
and departments at worksites interested in
establishing or enriching the programs for the
health of the workforce. Partnership participation
in setting up resources ArCOP.
http://worksitewellness.arkansas.gov
18. Arkansas Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program
(AHELP)
Comprehensive worksite wellness program
Web-tracking behavioral intervention (points
assigned)
Cardiovascular, aerobic physical activity
Fruits and veggies
No tobacco
Act 724 of 2005 granted up to three days off
with satisfactory participation per calendar year
UNC Centers for Excellence features AHELP
as an “Emerging Intervention for Obesity
Prevention http://www.center-trt.org
20. Average Annual Total* Costs Linked to Any Tobacco Use
compared with Non-tobacco Use by Age Group
$1,863
$8,261
(29%)
$9,000
$8,000
$6,398
Non-tobacco user
$5,615
$7,000 Tobacco user
$4,522
$6,000
$3,936
$3,598
$5,000
$3,078
$2,738
$4,000 $2,394
$2,291
$1,630
$1,625
$3,000
$2,000
$1,000
$0
18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 64 65 - 74
*Includes medical (inpatient and outpatient) and pharmacy costs for state employees.
21. Average Annual Total* Costs Linked to 5+ days/wk of
physical activity compared with No weekly activity by Age
Group
$12,789
$5,546
(77%)
$11,447
$14,000
5+days/wk of physical activity
$12,000 No weekly physical activity
$10,000
$7,243
$6,838
$8,000
$4,389
$4,106
$3,336
$6,000
$3,127
$2,631
$2,045
$1,578
$4,000
$1,086
$2,000
$0
18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 64 65 - 74
*Includes medical (inpatient and outpatient) and pharmacy costs for state employees.
22. Average Annual Total* Costs Linked to Normal Body Mass
Index compared to Obese BMI by Age Groups
$8,143
$9,000 $2,172
Normal Weight BMI (36%)
$8,000
Obese BMI
$5,971
$5,685
$7,000
$4,762
$4,450
$6,000
$3,470
$5,000
$3,200
$2,522
$2,504
$4,000 $2,302
$1,622
$1,605
$3,000
$2,000
$1,000
$0
18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 64 65 - 74
*Includes medical (inpatient and outpatient) and pharmacy costs for state employees.
23. ROI of Worksite Wellness Programs in
Economically Challenging Times
Top 5 Strategies
1.Tap into your insurance plan‟s willingness to pay
for wellness.
2.Create a benefit design so wellness can be cost
neutral.
3.Implement worksite policies & environmental
changes that support healthy living.
4.Use the right wellness messages to enhance
engagement & increase participation.
5.Make use of your free community resources.
WELCOA-2009
24. Small Business Interventions
10 Essential Things That Small Business
Leaders Can Do To Promote Better Health
1.Issue letter of support to employees
2.Designate a company wellness leader
3.Conduct employee health interest survey
4.Provide Health Screenings/Health Risk Assessments
opportunities
5.Physical activity campaign
WELCOA-2009
25. Small Business Interventions (cont‟d)
10 Essential Things That Small Business
Leaders Can Do To Promote Better Health
6. Hold Lunch „n Learns
7. Establish an in-house library or electronic resource
center
8. Disseminate a quarterly newsletter
9. Implement health promoting policies
10. Promote community health efforts
Small businesses: Steps toward increasing the health &
well-being of their most valuable asset………..
Their employees and their families
26. The Power of Prevention
Epidemic of Unparalleled Proportions
________substantiated by hard facts
• More than 1.7 million Americans die of a
chronic disease each year
Five chronic diseases
•Heart Disease
•Cancer
•Stroke
•Chronic Lung Disease
•Diabetes CDC-Chronic Disease
27. Reasons for Prevention
Cancer- $171.6 billion, of this amount, $60.9 billion
was due to direct medical costs and
$39.8 billion to lost productivity
Obesity- estimated $117 billion, of this amount,
$61 billion due to direct medical costs and
$56 billion to lost productivity
CV Disease and Stroke- $351.8 billion , of this
amount, $209.3 billion due to direct medical
costs and $142.5 billion to lost productivity
CDC
28. Prevention
Chronic disease risk factors also place huge
economic demands on our nation and state
Lost Productivity:
Smoking-more than $80 billion
Poor Nutrition- $ 9 billion related to heart disease,
cancer, stroke, and diabetes
What did it cost your business?
CDC
29. Prevention
Three modifiable health-damaging
behaviors
Tobacco Use
Lack of Physical Activity
Poor Eating Habits
33% of all U.S. deaths can be
attributed to these behaviors
30. ArCOP – Worksite Wellness
• Strategy
– Improve worksite health environments
• Objectives
– Establish an electronic clearinghouse for
model worksite wellness programs and
resources (12/31/09)
– Double the size of the Arkansas
worksite/employer stakeholder group from
10 to 20 members (6/30/2010)
– Hold 5 regional worksite health summits
(6/30/2010)
– Create healthy worksite award (12/31/2010)
– IN PROCESS/ONGOING Encourage
development of policy/system change to
31. Healthy Workforce
The workplace is an ideal environment for cultivating a
healthy life style
45% of a persons waking hours are spent in the
workplace
82% of the U.S. population is linked in someway to a
worksite
Worksites can be environments that promote health or
that create barriers to health
Healthy Workforce 2010, Partners
for Prevention (2001)
32. Arkansas Worksite Wellness
Healthy Arkansas Initiative 2004
Arkansas Department of Health and Arkansas
Department of Human Services pilot intervention
Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program (HELP)
33. Arkansas Workforce Wellness
Representative Linda Chesterfield sponsored
Act 724 of 2005 giving an incentive for healthy
behaviors and actions for State of Arkansas
employees
- Up to 3 days leave for satisfactory participation in the
AHELP web tracking program of physical activity, fruits
and vegetables, and no tobacco use.
- In addition, annual HRA and age-appropriate screenings
give points in the system.
Arkansas Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program
(AHELP) Roll-Out to all state agencies, boards,
and commissions
Arkansas Law, Act 724 of 2005
34. Arkansas WorkforceWellness
Arkansas Worksite Wellness
• AHELP goals:
• Reduce the number of employees who use tobacco
• Improve the nutritional choices available to employees
• Increase the number of employees getting age-
appropriate health screenings
• Increase the number of employees who participate in
physical activity
• Increase the number of employees who are at healthy
weight
35. Arkansas WorkforceWellness
Arkansas Worksite Wellness
• Based on Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) completed
between February 2005 and March 2006*:
• Cholesterol - 12% increase in percent of participating
employees in the lowest risk category
• Physical Activity/Exercise - 12% decrease in percent of
participating employees in the “high risk” or “borderline risk”
category
• Nutrition - 26% increase in percent of participating employees
in the lowest risk group
* Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services
36. Arkansas WorkforceWellness
Arkansas Worksite Wellness
• As of June 2008, there were 2427 registered
participants in AHELP
• Since AHELP‟s inception in April 2005:
• 648 participants have earned and redeemed the
incentive of 1-hour off in time from work
• 39 participants earned 1-day leave
• 40 participants earned 2-days leave
• 108 additional participants earned 3-days leave
• 6 available passes for 2-days at an Arkansas
State Parks Lodge earned
• In 2006 alone, over 440 other prizes redeemed
37. Arkansas Workforce Wellness
Resources will be available soon on the New
Website for Lifestage Health Branch
Adults in Worksites:
www.AHELP.arkansas.gov
Contact: Helen Weir, Administrator
Helen.Weir@arkansas.gov
38. Arkansas Tools for a
Healthy Workforce
Arkansas Department of Health with their multiple
partnerships and collaborations
Other state partnerships through the guidance of
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)
Proven strategies, promising strategies and expert
opinion strategies
39. Tools
CDC Evidence-Based Focus Areas:
Increase fruit & vegetable consumption
Decrease sweetened beverage consumption
Decrease food portion size (portion control)
Increase physical activity
Increase Breastfeeding
Increase smoking cessation in adults
Increase the proportion of worksites with formal No-
Smoking policies
Healthy Workforce 2010; Partners
for Prevention (2001)
40. Healthy Habits
Nutrition
Eat for Color: Green, Orange/yellow, Red,
Blue/purple, and White
Eat 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every
day
May lower your risk of certain cancers, heart
disease, and stroke.
Helps manage your weight
www.5Aday.gov
41. Healthy Habits for Arkansas
Physical Activity
Adults:
Moderate PA for at least 30 minutes on 5 or
more days of the week or
Vigorous PA 3 or more days per week for 20
minutes or more each time
New Guidelines 2008
cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical
42. Physical Activity
Why is PA important?
Reduces your risk of:
Heart disease and stroke, cancer, diabetes and high
blood pressure
Helps control weight
Keeps bones, muscles and joints healthy
Reduces falls in older adults
reduces symptoms of anxiety & depression
cdc.gov/dnpa
43. Healthy Habits
Tobacco:
Don‟t Smoke, Chew, or Dip
There is no safe tobacco.
• If you use tobacco QUIT
• If you don‟t….. don‟t start
QUIT NOW !
Call it quits
1-866-NOW-QUIT
Arkansas Department of Health
SOS Facts
44. Tobacco
Arkansas Statewide Tobacco Programs and
Services (AR Stops)
SOS Quitline
SOS Works- Fax-back Referral Program
Arkansas Tobacco Cessation Network
45. Resources
Heart-Healthy and Stroke-Free Worksites
Successful Business Strategies to Prevent Heart
Disease and Stroke
Reducing the Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke: A
six-step Guide for Employers
Arkansas Department of Health-
• Heart and Stroke Prevention Program
• Diabetes Program
www.cdc.gov/CVH
46. Arkansas Department of Health
Lifestage Health Branch &
Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Section
Adults in Worksites
Helen Weir, RN, BSN
helen.weir@arkansas.gov
47. Magnolia
+ Community response is increasing
+ Increase in individuals attending GHC Coalition
meetings
+ Mayor and representatives for the Chamber of
Commerce are participating
− GHC is a BIG project
− Keeping people engaged and enthusiastic
Suggestion: Look beyond traditional partners -
youth groups and organizations, faith-based
groups mission programs, 4-H programs, Future
Farmers, etc.
48. Batesville
+ Water bottles are now included in park vending
machines
+ White River Community Garden has been
established and individuals are decorating plots
+ All plots were rented shortly after grand opening
+ Mayor was asked to participate in the national
2010 Obesity Conference (ATL)
− Keeping people involved and showing up for
events
Suggestions: Look beyond traditional partners.
Share in tasks.
49. Little Rock – Arkansas Baptist College
+ Menu policy has been developed for use in the
Arkansas Baptist College (ABC) cafeteria to offer
healthier options
+ A Fresh Market is scheduled to open in July
+ Partnering with AR Children‟s Hospital to
implement a community garden
+ Hired a full-time gardener
− Getting community Health Advisory Board
recruited and engaged. They have already
enlisted some community members to serve on
the board.
50. Harrison
+ City sponsored a community garden plot of land
centrally located
+ Public declaration by Mayor
+ City will provide water to the site
+ Storage building was purchased to store our
tillers, gardening materials, etc.
+ Community champion identified
− Slow everyone down enough to establish and
adopt policies and procedures that will help
sustain the concept
− Find a long-term entity to take “ownership”