This study investigated the relationship between gender, management style, and decision-making regarding wellness programming by human resource managers. From a sample of 200 members of the Society for Human Resource Management from the state of Indiana, 83 individuals participated in this study. Each participant completed the 10-item Sargent and Miller Leadership Questionnaire, and ranked, in order of importance, five possible benefit offerings (of which wellness programs was one) that their organization could offer its' employees. T-test analysis revealed that gender was not an indicator of management style preference, nor was it an indicator of the perceived importance of wellness/health promotion programs. Although gender did not show any relevance to management style or the support of wellness programs, the use of correlational analysis did reveal a slight correlation between management style and the support for wellness programs. / Fisher Institute for Wellness

The purpose of this investigation was to identify college students' attitudes toward wellness and to identify the differences in these attitudes among various groups of university students. The subjects who participated in this study were students randomly chosen from the six wellness residence halls and six traditional residence halls at Ball State University. One hundred and twenty-one of the 200 subjects selected, completed and returned a modification of the Archer Wellness survey on college students' attitudes toward wellness. A two-way analysis of variance on the data between groups of students living in wellness residence halls and students living in traditional residence halls found significant differences in the following categories: 1) need for information and assistance, 2) current level of wellness, 3) health and longevity concerns, and 4) environment. Differences between male and female respondents were found on the need for information and assistance score and the environment score. The chi-square statistic was computed for the data where subjects selected activities and behaviors they believed were beneficial and detrimental to their wellness. From the activities/behaviors selected to be detrimental to wellness, lack of leisure time was found to be significant between the two groups. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

The purpose of this study was to assess the change in anthropometric measures, physical activity levels, food choices, and stage of change for seven health behaviors in adults who participated in fitness classes sponsored by Operation Wellness, a Robert Wood Johnson Local Initiatives Funding Partner grant, in Wells County, IN. Over the grant’s four years, 961 individuals 19 years of age and older enrolled in at least one semester-long Wellness University fitness class and completed both a pre-assessment and at least one post-assessment between the fall of 2003 and the summer of 2007. At baseline, 40.9 percent (n=286) of respondents reported engaging in either no exercise (n=35; 12.2%) or exercised only one to two days per week (n=82; 28.7%). After one semester, 81.4 percent met the goal of exercising aerobically for 30 minutes or more at least three times per week. Paired analysis indicated participants lost an average of three pounds (173.2±47.1 lbs. vs. 170.7±45.5 lbs.; t=2.02; p=0.045), lowered their systolic (125.9±15.9 mmHg vs. 121.5±16.6 mmHg (t=2.30; p=0.026) and diastolic 78.0±9.9 mmHg vs. 75.6±10.2 (t=1.80; p=0.05) blood pressure, and had a significant shift in their readiness to change in six of the seven health-related behaviors after only one semester. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

The purpose of this study was to identify the satisfaction from services received by businesses as members of Wellness Councils. All 105 members of the Wellness Council of Northwest Indiana were invited to participate in the survey. Fifty four (51%) participants completed and returned the survey on satisfaction levels.The instrument was developed to measure member satisfaction with the services provided by the Wellness Council of Northwest Indiana. The member organizations rated the council on a 5 point scale, with 5 being the highest possible score.A two way analysis of variance was conducted to identify differences in satisfaction by size and organization purpose; profit and nonprofit.The least satisfied group was the large for profit, while the most satisfied group was the large nonprofit group. Small for profit member organizations were slightly more satisfied than small not for profit organizations.Satisfaction did vary by size and organization, but in general, members were mostly satisfied with their participation in the Wellness Council of Northwest Indiana.Also, four open ended questions were asked, to allow the members to elaborate on other areas of interests or concerns. These results showed that members were interested in the following 2 areas: 1. education, 2. networking.Future research should include quantitative methodology that examines the meanings behind many of the narrative comments from the study. Future instruments should also include specific areas of satisfaction mentioned in the narrative responses. / Institute for Wellness

The purpose of this study was to conduct a descriptive survey to determine the status of health promotion activities in religious organizations in Delaware County, Indiana. After 223 surveys were distributed and reminder postcards mailed, 77 (35%) usable responses were received. Follow-up telephone calls on 30 non-respondents yielded similar results to those who did respond.The health knowledge level of the respondent, religious affiliation of the religious organization, and racial composition of the congregation appear to be associated with the health promotion activities offered by a religious organization, though the strength of the associations are not clear. However, such associations indicate a need to provide Delaware County religious leaders with connections to secular agencies to provide the social support necessary for health promotion within the congregations.Information from this study could lead to the development of an ecumenical module and/or an oral presentation script addressing health, wellness, and prevention issues that could be utilized by a health educator to inform congregations. This may in turn close the disparity gap in health status for those who may be poorly-served, under-served, or never-served. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of health promotion activities provided by Indiana public school corporations for their employees and the impact of corporation leadership on the provision of these activities. The subjects of this study were Indiana public school superintendents. All 291 superintendents were mailed the survey instrument created by the researcher for this study and there were 227 (78%) responses.The results showed that 54% of the responding Indiana school corporations provided some type of health promotion activity for employees on a corporation-wide basis. The primary reason school corporations provided health promotion activities for employees was to keep employees healthy. The major impediment in providing health promotion activities for employees was a lack of resources. School corporations in rural settings were less likely to provide health promotion activities for employees. School corporations were more likely to provide health promotion activities for employees as the number of full-time employees increased. This study also found a relationship between the importance a superintendent placed on providing health promotion activities for employees and the provision of those activities in a school corporation. As worksites, Indiana public school corporations have not met the national goals and objectives for worksites found in Healthy People 2010. / Department of Educational Leadership