Translating CDSMP to the Workplace: Results of the Live Healthy Work Healthy Program

Purpose: Report the results of a randomized, controlled trial of Live Healthy, Work Healthy (LHWH), a worksite translation of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP). Design: 14 worksites were randomly assigned to LHWH, standard CDSMP (usual care) or no-intervention (control) group. Setting: The diverse set of work organizations centered around a rural community in SE US. Subjects: 411 participants completed baseline data with 359 being included in the final analyses. Intervention: LHWH had been adapted to fit the unique characteristics of work organizations. This translated program consists of 15 sessions over 8 weeks and was facilitated by trained lay leaders. Measures: The primary outcomes including health risk, patient-provider communication, quality of life, medical adherence and work performance were collected pretest, posttest (6 mos.) and follow-up (12 mos.). Analysis: Analyses were conducted using latent change score models in a structural equation modeling framework. Results: 79% of participants reported at least one chronic condition with an average of 2.7 chronic conditions reported. Results indicated that LHWH program demonstrated positive changes in a most outcomes including significant exercise (uΔ = 0.89, p < .01), chronic disease self-efficacy (uΔ = 0.63, p < .05), fatigue (uΔ = −1.45, p < .05), stress (uΔ = −0.98, p < .01) and mentally unhealthy days (uΔ = −3.47, p < .001). Conclusions: The translation of LHWH is an effective, low cost, embeddable program that has the potential to improve the health and work life of employees.