The Worksite Heart Health Improvement Project (WHHIP): feasibility and efficacy.

Objective: Test the feasibility and efficacy of the Worksite Heart Health Improvement Project (WHHIP).

Design: The WHHIP was a quasi-experimental 6-month pilot performed in 2 long-term care facilities.

Sample: Thirty-nine female minority nursing assistants participated in this study with a mean age of 42.39 (SD = 12.79) years.

Measurements: Measures were collected at baseline, 3, and 6 months and included blood pressure, lipid panel, body mass index, physical activity levels, diet behaviors, depressive symptoms, and self-efficacy outcomes.

Intervention: The 3-month WHHIP intervention included 3 components: environmental and policy assessment; education; and on-going motivation. The control site received education only.

Results: Subject participation averaged 47% and 58% in exercise and diet related activities, respectively. Generalized estimating equations showed the treatment group showed significant improvements in depressive symptoms (p = .012), systolic blood pressure (p = .028), total cholesterol (p = .002) and triglycerides (p = .011) over time. The treatment group also showed trends for improvement in diet behaviors (p = .069) and diastolic blood pressure (p = .073).

Conclusions: This study provided feasibility evidence for the WHHIP and preliminary evidence that the WHHIP can improve heart healthy behaviors and subsequent outcomes among nursing assistants in long-term care settings.