Abstract
The rapid increase in employee health insurance costs has stimulated interest in wellness programs in workplaces. A survey was conducted in San Antonio, Texas, to determine the number and nature of existing wellness programs and the characteristics of firms which do and do not offer such programs. Seventy-one of 325 questionnaires mailed were returned. Results showed the 24 (34%) firms with wellness programs have larger numbers of employees and are engaged in service-producing or finance-related work, while the 47 (66%) firms without wellness programs have fewer employees and performed manufacturing or trade types of work. Wellness program activities included stress management, nutrition/weight control, physical fitness, health risk appraisal and exercise classes. The occupational health nurse was the most frequently cited source of health promotion information in firms with and without wellness programs. Recommendations include firms' use of community resources (voluntary health-related organizations and official health department) to develop wellness programs and increased emphasis on occupational health nursing in nursing education programs.