Employee Wellness & Physical Activity in Texas: Results

from the 2003 BRFSS

Employee Wellness in Texas: Outline

• Overview of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

• Employee wellness and CVD risk factors: Results from the 2003 BRFSS

• Results of special workplace physical activity survey module

What is BRFSS

• Monitors health risks at the state, region, and county level

• Administered through state/federal partnership

• Data gathered from telephone interviews with thousands of adults using standardized questions and methods

• Largest telephone survey in the world

Texas BRFSS: Procedures

• Continuous (monthly) data collection

• Random digit dialing (RDD) and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI)

• Adults aged 18 years and older (non-institutionalized)

• Data weighted to represent known Texas demographics

BRFSS and Employee Wellness

• Employment Status:– Work for wages– Self employed– Out of work– Homemaker/Student/Retired– Unable to work

• BRFSS “core” demographic, health risk, and health status questions

• Special BRFSS questions on workplace policies

Employee Wellness: Methods

• Analyzed Texas 2003 BRFSS data (n=6,035) using SUDAAN and SPSS

• Reported point estimates with 95% CIs

• Employment status classified by three groups (wages, self-employed, not working)

• Working age population (18 – 64 years old who report that they are able to work)

• Results adjusted by age & gender using year 2000 standard population weights

Employee Demographics

Employment Status, Adults Ages 18 – 64 Texas BRFSS 2003

58

10 8 106 4 5

0

20

40

60

Employed (Wages)

Employed (Self)

Out of Work

Homemaker

Student

Retired

Unable to W

ork

Per

cent

Age Distribution by Employment Status Adults (Ages 18-64), BRFSS 2003

4128

49

28

26

18

22

2714

19 1910

0

20

40

60

80

100

Employed(Wages)

Employed (Self) Not Employed

Per

cent

55-6445-5435-4418-34

Gender Distribution by Employment Status Adults (Ages 18-64), BRFSS 2003

5867

32

4233

68

0

20

40

60

80

100

Employed(Wages)

Employed (Self) Not Employed

Per

cent Female

Male

Race/Ethnicity Distribution by Employment Status

Adults (Ages 18-64), BRFSS 2003

57 6549

89

31 2538

6

0

20

40

60

80

100

Employed(Wages)

Employed(Self)

Not Employed

Per

cent Hispanic

African-AmericanWhite

Education by Employment Status Adults (Ages 18-64), BRFSS 2003

15 1324

53 52

56

33 3520

0

20

40

60

80

100

Employed(Wages)

Employed(Self)

Not Employed

Per

cent College

High School< High School

Household Income by Employment Status Adults (Ages 18-64), BRFSS 2003

26 2645

49 43

39

25 3116

0

20

40

60

80

100

Employed(Wages)

Employed (Self) Not Employed

Per

cent 75K+

25K - 74.9K< 25K

Employee Health Status & Risk Factors

Self Reported Health (Age & Gender Adjusted) by Employment Status

Adults (Ages 18-64), BRFSS 2003

1814

2021

14

25

0

10

20

30

WagesSelf Not

WagesSelf Not

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

5+ Days Poor Physical Health

5+ Days Poor Mental Health

Major Morbidity (Age & Gender Adjusted) by Employment Status

Adults (Ages 18-64), BRFSS 2003

5.7

2.04.0

10.0

3.3

7.7

0

10

20

Wei

gh

ted

Per

cen

t

Heart Attack, Stroke, or Angina Diabetes

CVD Risk Factors (Age & Gender Adjusted) by Employment Status

Adults (Ages 18-64), BRFSS 2003

2626

23 2522

29

26

1718

0

20

40

WagesSelf Not

WagesSelf Not

WagesSelf Not

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

High Blood Pressure

High Cholesterol

Obesity

Insurance Status (Age & Gender Adjusted) by Employment Status

Adults (Ages 18-64), BRFSS 2003

17

44

22

45

24

31

0

10

20

30

40

50

WagesSelf Not

WagesSelf Not

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

No Health Insurance Couldn’t See Doctor due to Cost

Health Behaviors (Age & Gender Adjusted) by Employment Status

Adults (Ages 18-64), BRFSS 2003

23

28

41

2529

2121

3432

0

20

40

WagesSelf Not

WagesSelf Not

WagesSelf Not

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

No Cholesterol Check in 5 Years

Five a Day Current Smoking

Physical Activity (Age & Gender Adjusted) by Employment Status

Adults (Ages 18-64), BRFSS 2003

63

49

27

575355

2225

0

20

40

60

WagesSelf Not

WagesSelf Not

WagesSelf

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

No Leisure Time Physical Activity

Meets Activity Recommendations

Mostly Sits or Stands at Work

Employee Physical Activity Survey

• Optional module added to 2003 BRFSS

• Questions on barriers to exercise, future plans, and workplace policies

• Repeat of survey questions run in 1998

Not Enough Time to be More Active by Employment Status

Adults (Ages 18-64)

37

2426

24

37

29

0

10

20

30

40

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

20031998

Too Tired to be More Active by Employment Status

Adults (Ages 18-64)

22

12

24

9

18

13

0

10

20

30

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

20031998

Already Get Enough Physical Activity by Employment Status

Adults (Ages 18-64)

21

35

41

23

53

20

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Wei

ghte

d %

20031998

Expect to Increase Activity Level by Employment Status

Adults (Ages 18-64)

52

37

464850

59

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

20031998

No Physical Activity During Lunch/Breaks Workers (Employed for Wages)

2121

5360

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

20031998

Workplace Policies Workers (Employed for Wages)

1998 & 2003

21

29273333

21

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

Flex Time Worktime for P.A. Subsidize Health Clubs

Workplace Policies Workers (Employed for Wages)

1998 & 2003

2026

34

1823

16

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

Incentives for P.A. Sports Teams Regular Programs

Workplace Policies Workers (Employed for Wages)

1998 & 2003

46

2623

5148 46

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

Onsite Facilities Safe Place to Walk Safe Stairways for P.A.

Meets Physical Activity Recommendations by Workplace Policy

Workers (Employed for Wages)

4442 44

52

4145

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

Flex Time Worktime for P.A. Subsidize Health Clubs

Meets Physical Activity Recommendations by Workplace Policy

Workers (Employed for Wages)

43

53

42

49

42

48

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

Incentives for P.A. Sports Teams Regular Programs

Meets Physical Activity Recommendations by Workplace Policy

Workers (Employed for Wages)

4250

4245 43 46

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Wei

ghte

d P

erce

nt

Onsite Facilities Safe Place to Walk Safe Stairways for P.A.

Discussion Points• Employees fare better than non employees on some

CVD indicators

• Employees report that lack of time is the primary reason they are not more physically active

• Employees reported more physical activity during breaks/lunch in 2003 than 1998

• Employer sponsored sports teams declined between 1998 and 2003

• Some workplace policies may be associated with increased employee physical activity levels

BRFSS Contact Information:

Jimmy Blanton, MPAffCoordinator, Texas BRFSS

Center for Health Statistics...The Portal for Comprehensive Health Data in Texas

www.tdh.state.tx.us/chs

512-458-7111 x6593jimmy.blanton@dshs.state.tx.us