Development of a Wellness Center Model for Managing At-risk Employees for Chronic NCDs in Large Enterprises, Health Region 7

Abstract

This action research aimed to develop a Wellness Center Model for Managing at-risk Employees with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in large-scale establishments in Health Region 7. The participants included at-risk employees from large-scale establishments, human resources and safety officers, occupational health personnel from Provincial Health Offices, and occupational medicine staff from general and community hospitals in Health Region 7. The study was conducted in four phases between April 2023 and September 2024: Phase 1, situation analysis; Phase 2, model development; Phase 3, model implementation; and Phase 4, evaluation. Data were collected using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Research instruments included focus group discussion guides, guidelines for implementing the Wellness Center Model for Managing At-Risk Employees in establishments, and questionnaires assessing health literacy and health behaviors. Quantitative data were analyzed using a paired samples t-test, while qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. Phase 1 situation analysis revealed that over 50% of employees were at risk for NCDs, with significant gaps identified in health promotion implementation, including unclear feedback on health examination results and a lack of systematic proactive interventions. Phase 2 involved developing the Wellness Center Model for Managing At-Risk Employees by adapting existing health education programs and incorporating additional content specifically addressing the gaps identified in Phase 1, such as building confidence in behavior modification, interpreting health examination results, and providing support by workplace nurses. Phase 3 implemented the model with 53 at-risk employees (representing 80.3% participation), reflecting the program's appropriateness. Phase 4 evaluation demonstrated that the program significantly increased health literacy scores by 4.81 points (p <0.001), with the greatest improvement observed in the information access and communication domain. Research recommendations suggest that large-scale establishments should support workplace nurses to perform surveillance and monitor the health status of at-risk employees. Future research should conduct long-term follow-up and evaluate effectiveness in medium and small-scale establishments.