Tailoring and targeting a worksite health promotion program to address multiple health behaviors among blue-collar women

Purpose. This study examined the relationship between health risks, health behaviors, stages-of-change, and behavior change priorities among blue-coll ar women participating in a worksite health promotion study. Design. Cross-sectional. Setting Rural manufacturing worksites in North Carolina. Subjects. Participants were 859 women aged 18 and over Measures. The self-administered questionnaire assessed smoking, exercise, n utrition (fat, fruits, and vegetables), and breast and cervical cancer scre ening behaviors. In addition, demographics, body weight, perceived health, stages-of-change, and priority for behavior change were measured. Chi-squar e tests and regression analysis were used to assess statistical significanc e. Results. Overall, 28% of women smoked, 37% were completely sedentary, 82% c onsumed less than five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and the maj ority were overweight. The dominant stage of change for each of the lifesty le behaviors was contemplation, whereas most women were in the action stage for cancer screening. When asked to prioritize the behavior they most want ed to change, the majority of women chose healthy eating and/or exercise. Conclusions. The findings suggest that blue-collar women in this study had multiple health risks and were interested in changing multiple health behav iors. Allowing women to choose the behavior(s) on which they are ready to f ocus may be a promising approach to tailoring interventions for this popula tion.