The Enduring Impact of a Health Promotion Educational Program for Medical Professionals

Abstract

Burnout has emerged as a growing epidemic within healthcare systems. This study evaluated whether an innovative Health Promotion educational Program (HPEP), tailored to practicing healthcare workers, could promote positive behaviors and improvements in wellness. The virtual, self-guided HPEP was developed by an interprofessional team and incorporated ten evidence-based interventions aligned with the six pillars of lifestyle medicine: dietary intake of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (nutrition pillar); physical activity, yoga, and active rest (physical activity pillar); emotional freedom skills, mindfulness/cognitive behavioral skills and emotional detachment (stress management pillar); healthy sleep behaviors (restorative sleep pillar); emotional intelligence (connectedness pillar); and acceptance and commitment skills (risky substance avoidance pillar). A total of 351 healthcare workers voluntarily enrolled in the program. Outcomes were assessed using deidentified surveys and analyzed with a mixed-methods approach, with statistical significance set at P < .05. At 3- and 6-month post-intervention, most participants (96% and 92%) reported adopting healthier behaviors and demonstrated significant improvements in wellness on a validated wellness index (P < .05), as well as favorable self-reported perceptions (93% and 94%). These findings suggest persistence of positive effects among respondents and support the HPEP’s potential as a scalable approach to promoting wellness within healthcare systems.