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DO EXERCISE IS MEDICINE®-ON CAMPUS SCHOOLS PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS FOR EMPLOYEES?

Abstract

The Exercise is Medicine®-On Campus (EIM-OC) initiative promotes physical activity among university faculty, staff, and students. For faculty and staff, employee health- and wellness-based benefits and programs are a primary approach to promoting wellness to attract and retain employees. However, the extent to which EIM-OC campuses promote these employee programs and benefits remains unknown. PURPOSE: To determine if U.S.-based, public EIM-OC universities are more likely to offer employee health- and wellness-based programs than similar non-EIM-OC universities and if there are differences among EIM-OC recognition statuses. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included all U.S. public EIM-OC colleges and universities (n=79) from the EIM-OC website as of July 2024. A comparable sample of 79 non-EIM-OC schools was selected and matched by institution type, student enrollment, and U.S. geographical regions. Schools were randomly assigned to five research assistants who independently conducted a systemized online search of public information on each school’s websites, checking for interrater reliability. The search was organized into five sections: 1) overarching mission and goals related to employee health, 2) employee benefits and well-being programs offered by human resources, 3) presence of university-wide wellness initiatives, 4) employee access to university recreations, and 5) EIM-OC website (if applicable) and inclusion of employees in initiatives. RESULTS: Means for student enrollment for EIM-OC and non-EIM-OC schools were 15,847.2 (±12,540.8) and 14,557.2 (±11,061.0). Currently, preliminary results for health and wellness programs have been completed for 18 EIM-OC schools and 15 non-EIM-OC schools. Employee mental health was the most offered wellness program through human resources across all schools (n=23). Only one school’s wellness site promoted its EIM-OC program. Six EIM-OC schools had an EIM-OC-specific website; none noted targeted resources for faculty and staff. CONCLUSION: Preliminary results suggest EIM-OC schools lack collaboration with faculty and staff health and wellness programs. Future research should directly contact EIM-OC schools to assess these initiatives since this campus population may be less physically active and benefit more from them.

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