Programs | Cholesterol Interventions

Health-related programs for cholesterol screening and control¹

Employee programs refer to activities that include active employee involvement, such as classes, seminars or competitions. Employee programs are frequently provided on-site at the workplace.

Employee health surveys in the workplace provide assessment and implementation opportunities

• Information from employee health surveys can be used to identify the percent of employees that have received cholesterol screening. Survey information can be used not only in obtaining baseline group data on employee health but also to educate individual employees to their needs for counseling and follow-up for specific health concerns  
• Other surveys can be used as planning guides to assess if a worksite has provided services, programs, policies, and environmental interventions to support healthy lifestyles and prevent risk factors such as high blood cholesterol

Worksite cholesterol screening, health education, and lifestyle counseling can identify employees with high blood cholesterol and help them control it

• Periodic blood cholesterol screening and health risk assessment programs at the worksite through occupational health clinics, health fairs, and other activities can provide blood cholesterol information to employees. Employees who have elevated values should get therapeutic lifestyle counseling and be referred to clinical care for follow-up. Health care professionals or human resources staff can provide information about the benefits and availability of screening to encourage and motivate employees to be screened
• One-on-one education and lifestyle counseling with clinical referral and follow-up should be provided for employees who were determined to have high blood cholesterol. A lifestyle management program is an ongoing series of services designed to teach and counsel participants how to make healthy choices, such as exercise, diet, and tobacco cessation  
• Lifestyle counseling, either provided at the worksite or covered through employee health insurance plans, can be provided by health care or allied health professionals (i.e., health educators) or by lay health advisors or volunteers, This type of counseling provides employees with information by telephone or face-to-face in an office or clinic settings or at a workplace
• Screening and lifestyle counseling can be supplemented by brochures, informational letters, videos, newsletters, health fairs, or reminders. The interventions can be tailored to address risks of developing high blood cholesterol, questions, or barriers relevant to the individual or to a group
• Seminars, educational workshops, or classes (including online, telephone conference or self study guide) on preventing and controlling high blood cholesterol can be provided

Worksite lifestyle programs can help employees control their cholesterol

• The health-related program strategies and interventions listed for physical activity, nutrition, obesity, and tobacco use include lifestyle activities recommended to control cholesterol
• Education campaign to educate employees to seek cholesterol screening can be added to workplace nutrition programs