Using Email to Promote Healthy Behaviors at Work
Author Information
Author(s): Patricia D Franklin, Paula F Rosenbaum, Michael P Carey, Michael F Roizen
Primary Institution: University of Massachusetts Medical School
Hypothesis
Can sequential email messages effectively promote physical activity and increase fruit and vegetable intake among employed adults?
Conclusion
The study demonstrated that using email for health promotion is feasible and can effectively engage employees in healthy behaviors.
Supporting Evidence
- 40% of employees consented to participate in the study.
- 70% of participants opened at least 50% of the emails sent.
- 75% of participants continued to open at least one email a week throughout the study.
Takeaway
This study showed that sending health tips through email can help people at work be healthier by encouraging them to exercise and eat more fruits and vegetables.
Methodology
Employees received daily emails for 26 weeks with health tips and links to more information after completing a baseline survey.
Potential Biases
Participants were predominantly female and white, which may not represent the entire workforce.
Limitations
The study may have attracted more motivated employees, and the requirement of a baseline assessment could have limited participation.
Participant Demographics
Participants were 76% female, 90% white, with a mean age of 43 years.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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