Preventing prescription drug misuse: field test of the SmartRx Web program.

Purpose of the project was to test a Web-based program designed to prevent prescription drug misuse. Study sample consisted of 346 working women randomized into either an experimental or wait-list control condition. Analysis of covariance and logistic regression were used to compare responses. Women receiving the intervention had greater knowledge of drug facts and greater self-efficacy in medication adherence and ability to manage problems with medications compared with controls. Women receiving the intervention also had reduced symptoms reported on the CAGE for prescription medications. Findings suggest that multimedia Web-based programs can be a beneficial addition to substance misuse prevention services. The study's limitations are noted.

A web-based mental health program: reaching parents at work.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the project was to test a web-based program providing working parents with the knowledge and skills necessary for prevention and early intervention of mental health problems in youth. METHOD: Study sample consisted of 99 parents who were randomized into either an experimental (program use) or waitlist control condition. Analysis of covariance and paired t-tests were used to compare response outcomes for the two groups. RESULTS: Parents receiving the intervention had greater knowledge of youth mental health issues and greater self-efficacy in handling these issues compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that referring parents to a multimedia web-based program can improve parents' knowledge of children's' mental health and their confidence in addressing mental health issues. Web-based programs can be offered to individuals in multiple settings, including the workplace, thereby reaching large numbers of parents.

A web-based approach to managing stress and mood disorders in the workforce.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based multimedia health promotion program for the workplace, designed to help reduce stress and to prevent depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. METHODS: Using a randomized controlled trial design, 309 working adults were randomly assigned to the web-based condition or to a wait-list control condition. All participants were assessed on multiple self-reported outcomes at pretest and posttest. RESULTS: Relative to controls, the web-based group reduced their stress, increased their knowledge of depression and anxiety, developed more positive attitudes toward treatment, and adopted a more healthy approach to alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: We found that a brief and easily adaptable web-based stress management program can simultaneously reduce worker stress and address stigmatized behavioral health problems by embedding this prevention material into a more positive stress management framework.

A field test of a web-based workplace health promotion program to improve dietary practices, reduce stress, and increase physical activity: randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Most work sites engage in some form of health promotion programming designed to improve worker health and reduce health care costs. Although these programs have typically been delivered through combinations of seminars and print materials, workplace health promotion programs are increasingly being delivered through the Internet. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of a Web-based multimedia health promotion program for the workplace, designed to improve dietary practices, reduce stress, and increase physical activity. METHODS: Using a randomized controlled trial design with pretest-posttest comparisons within each group, 419 employees of a human resources company were randomly assigned to the Web-based condition or to a condition that provided print materials on the same topics. All subjects were assessed at pretest and posttest through an online questionnaire containing multiple measures of health behavior and attitudes. The test period was 3 months. Questionnaire data were analyzed mainly by analysis of covariance and t tests. RESULTS: Retention rates were good for both groups-85% for the Web-based group and 87% for the print group. Subjects using the Web-based program performed significantly better than the print group on Attitudes Toward a Healthful Diet (F(1,415) = 7.104, P = .008) and Dietary Stage of Change (F(1,408) = 6.487, P = .01), but there were no significant group differences on the five other dietary measures. Both groups also showed improvement from pretest to posttest on most dietary measures, as indicated by significant t tests. Within the Web-based group, dosage analyses showed significant effects of the number of times the subject accessed the program on measures of Dietary Self-Efficacy (F(2,203) = 5.270, P = .003), Attitudes Toward a Healthful Diet (F(2,204) = 2.585, P = .045), and Dietary Stage of Change (F(2,200) = 4.627, P = .005). No significant differences were found between the two groups on measures of stress or physical activity, although t tests of pretest-posttest changes indicated that both groups improved on several of these measures. The Web-based group gave significantly higher ratings to the program materials than the print group on all health topics and in their overall evaluation (F(1,410) = 9.808, P = .002). CONCLUSIONS: The Web-based program was more effective than print materials in producing improvements in the areas of diet and nutrition but was not more effective in reducing stress or increasing physical activity. The higher ratings given to the Web-based program suggest that workers preferred it to the print materials. Both groups showed numerous pretest-posttest improvements in all health topics, although such improvements might be attributable in part to a Hawthorne effect. Results suggest that a multimedia Web-based program can be a promising means of delivering health promotion material to the workforce, particularly in the area of diet and nutrition.

A field test of a Web-based substance abuse prevention training program for health promotion professionals.

PURPOSE: To evaluate a multimedia substance abuse prevention (SAP) training program for health promotion (HP) practitioners designed to provide opportunities for behavioral modeling and skills building and to motivate and build confidence in ability to integrate SAP into HP offerings. METHODS: Using a posttest only design, 192 practitioners were randomly assigned to receive web-based (experimental group) or print-based (control group) training. Feelings about ability to conduct effective SAP programming, reactions to training materials, and knowledge about substance abuse and how to implement SAP were assessed. The experimental group also rated specific aspects of the web training. RESULTS: The experimental group gave high evaluation ratings, scored significantly higher on self-efficacy items, and gave significantly higher ratings on 12 of 15 reaction items. CONCLUSION: Web-based training was more engaging, understandable, user-friendly, useful, comprehensive, and motivating than print-based training; it is believed to be more effective in helping to integrate substance abuse prevention; and it will serve as a continuous resource.