DURABILITY AND DIFFUSION OF THE NUTRITION INTERVENTION IN THE WORKINGWELL TRIAL

Background. The Working Well Trial (WWT) emphasized employee participa tion in the planning and implementation of the health promotion interv ention. These participatory strategies were intended to promote instit utionalization of the health promotion program and thereby encourage m aintenance of the intervention activities. We used data from 107 works ites in the WWT to test whether the nutrition intervention activities were maintained after the research program (i.e., durability) or were adopted by control sites (i.e., diffusion). Methods. At baseline, upon the completion of the 2-year intervention, and 2 years later, we cond ucted organization surveys regarding worksite health promotion activit ies. A nutrition activity score from 0 to 3 was calculated based on av ailability of nutrition-related programs, self-help manuals or guides, and videos, tapes, brochures, or posters. Results. From baseline to t he end of the intervention, there was a significant increase in the nu trition activity score in intervention worksites compared with the con trols (P < 0.001), However, 2 years later, there was no difference bet ween intervention and control worksites. In addition, there was no sig nificant increase in the nutrition activity score in control site 2 ye ars after they received the intervention protocols and materials. Conc lusions. Research is needed to develop and test worksite-based interve ntions to promote institutionalization, durability, and diffusion. (C) 1998 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.