On the use of Internet-Delivered Interventions in Worksite Health Promotion

Abstract

Nowadays, worksite health promotion interventions are increasingly being delivered through the Internet. Advantages of Internet-delivered interventions are — among other things — accessibility, anonymity and interactivity. Accessibility means that employees can use the intervention at their own convenience, 24/7, in the comfort of their own home or during lunch break at work. This is connected to the second advantage, anonymity. Use of Internet-delivered interventions can be completely anonymous, without colleagues knowing that the employee is, for example, stressed or wants to decrease his/her drinking behavior. If the employee has, for example, a shared office space or is not able to use the Internet-delivered intervention at work, the accessibility of the Internet makes it possible to use the intervention elsewhere (e.g., at home). Finally, through its interactive character, the Internet is an appropriate medium to deliver tailored health promotion interventions; interventions that offer only content that is relevant for the specific employee. The way in which this is usually done is by letting employees fill out a health risk assessment and subsequently offering intervention content that is related to the behaviors at risk and their related determinants.