Local Health Departments' Capacity for Workplace Health Promotion Programs to Prevent Chronic Disease: Comparison of Rural, Micropolitan, and Urban Contexts

Objective: To examine local health department (LHD) contexts, capacity for, and interest in partnering with employers on workplace health promotion programs (WHPPs) for chronic disease prevention. Design: Qualitative interviews with LHD directors. Setting: LHDs from 21 counties in 10 states. Participants: Twenty-one LHD directors. Main Outcome Measures(s): Experiences and perceptions of existing partnerships, decision making, funding, data needs, and organizational capacity for WHPP partnerships with employers. Results: We identified 3 themes: (1) LHDs see the value of partnering with employers but lack the capacity to do so effectively; (2) while LHDs base priorities on community need, funding ultimately drives decision making; and (3) rural, micropolitan, and urban LHDs differ in their readiness and capacity to work with employers. Conclusions: Understanding LHDs' partnership capacity and context is essential to the successful implementation of WHPP partnerships with employers. Expanding these partnerships may require additional financial investments, particularly among rural LHDs.

Automated summary

The study shows that LHDs recognize the importance of partnering with employers but lack the capacity to do so effectively; LHDs prioritize based on community need, but funding ultimately drives decision making; rural, micropolitan, and urban LHDs differ in their readiness and capacity to work with employers.