May 2006
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Greetings Southwest Health District!
With the beginning of longer days and the beauty of a greener landscape sprinkled with the multiple colors of flowering shrubs, trees, and returning perennials, spring is such a wonderful time of year. For me spring says, “ It is great to be alive!” Thus it is fitting, that we celebrate public health in the spring, because public health saves lives. Public health workers have been saving lives for centuries and we are doing so at this very moment in time. I truly believe that Hooked on Health is saving our lives and the lives of family and friends. The culture is changing and we are now providing healthier snacks at our meetings, drinking water more often than soft drinks throughout the day, taking wellness breaks to exercise or alleviate stress and encouraging others to follow our lead to improve the health status of Southwest Georgia. What a coincidence it is that National Public Health Week (April 3-9), which recognizes the incredibly special work that we do, coincided with the end of the first quarter of Hooked on Health.
Our wellness campaign, like spring, vividly screams for all of Southwest Georgia to hear, that we are alive and fully embodying our mission to prevent disease, injury, and disability; promote health and well being; and prepare for disasters.
Before the campaign kick-off, we surveyed 165 Southwest Health District employees to determine interest and 88% responded that a public health worksite wellness campaign was a good idea for our district and the majority (67%) thought that that they would enjoy being on a team. The survey indicated that the issues of most importance to you are weight control (80%), exercise/physical activity (73%) and stress reduction (66%). An overwhelming majority (86%) responded that a wellness break during the workday would motivate you to participate.
The wellness committee took your responses to heart and made a valid attempt to provide the necessary support within the work environment to make this campaign a success. The wellness policy was amended, the formation of teams and a buddy system was encouraged, and a mechanism for you and your family members to have cholesterol and glucose screening done at the health departments at a discounted rate was devised.
I am so pleased to report that 338 of our nearly 400 employees (83%) have chosen to enroll. We have 23 teams with all sorts of inspirational and really cool names: A-team, Baker’s half dozen, Captain D and the Reelers, Diva Style, Ellenton’s Elite, Flintstone’s Rockin Steady, Miller Mariners, Mitchell Fruit Loops, Nutty Bunch, Personelly Accounting, Adult Health Sweet Hearts, Turtles, Health Posse, GG- Goal Seekers and Goodbodies, Fit N Fabulous, K&S, Lee Lean Locos, Women Working in the Spirit-Wits, and Worth Wellness. There are other teams specified by their district program and individuals as well.
So far, 14 teams have reported first quarter results. From the data submitted, it seems that the wellness breaks are widely utilized and appear to be a motivational factor. We have very few smokers on teams; however, we have had one person to quit smoking and another to decrease tobacco use. The 14 teams reported an aggregate weight lost of 684 lb over the first three months. And check out those success stories on our wellness webpage; better yet, just look at yourselves and your co-workers- you can see the glow and a renewed sense of wellbeing.
Wow, I’d say we all have something to scream and shout about- it’s spring, we are living our mission, and we are Hooked on Health!
Jacqueline H. Grant, MD, MPH, MPA
