Without cultural support greater than 80 percent of lifestyle change attempts do not achieve their desired goals. A culture-based approach dramatically improves the likelihood of lasting success. The resources listed on this page have been designed to assist with culture-based health promotion. The include surveys, seminars, training, books, videos, games and journal reprints.

 A free journal article reprint from The Art of Health Promotion provides a framework for the culture-based approach to health promotion programs. 

The Wellness Leadership video defines management's role in supporting healthy lifestyles. The 14-minute video features testimonials from top executives, managers and supervisors at Johnson & Johnson, Seagate Technologies, Union Pacific Railroad, John Alden Life Insurance, Central State Indemnity, the University of Vermont and Buffett, Taylor & Associates. The video comes with discussion questions suitable for a management workshop. It was produced by the Human Resources Institute in cooperation with Vermont Public Television and the Wellness Councils of America. A Special Report from the Wellness Councils of America further explains the framework used in the Wellness Leadership video. The cost is $95 plus $8 shipping and handling. Order info. 

With a Little Help from My Friends: Peer Support Video for a Healthier Lifestyle and video resource guide teach effective peer support strategies including how to help set goals, identify role models, eliminate barriers to change, locate supportive environments, work through relapse and celebrate success. Without adequate support, the vast majority of efforts to adopt healthier lifestyle practices fail. The support of coworkers, family and friends is essential to lasting lifestyle change. This video and resource guide The video is ideal both for those planning their own personal change and for those seeking to support others in their efforts to adopt healthier lifestyle practices.     

Peer support is seen through the eyes of five men and women who have stopped smoking, adopted regular exercise, managed stress, overcome obesity, cut alcohol and other drug abuse, rebuild careers and achieved new levels of mutual respect in their relationships. Their success stories reveal how support, when combined with initiative, can result in lasting and positive lifestyle change. The single VHS tape includes 21-minute and 7-minute versions. With a Little Help from My Friends comes with a resource manual that includes self-assessments as well as workshop discussion questions. The cost is $95 plus $8 shipping and handling. Order info. 

Lifegain: The Exciting New Program that Will Change Your Health and Your Life offers its readers a culture-based process for achieving healthier and more productive lifestyles. The book provides an overview of the wellness concept and the role of culture in shaping health behavior. Chapters include cultural assessments and action plans for physical fitness, smoking cessation, healthy eating, weight management, alcohol use, accident prevention, stress management and quality relationships. The final chapter offers an outline for designing a health promotion program for a worksite or for an entire community. The appendix features a bibliography of suggested health and wellness resource books. 248 pages. $16.95 plus $5 shipping and handling. Order info. 

The Game of Lifestyle Change teaches lifestyle change skills and strategies for building supportive environments. By learning these lifestyle change and cultural support skills, members of your organization can break the cycle of failure and achieve a higher quality of life. The Game of Lifestyle Change is a fun and rewarding team contest. Teams consist of 4 -10 members who work together to learn six primary lifestyle change skills: (1) goal setting; (2) locating supportive environments; (3) identifying role models; (4) eliminating barriers to change; (5) working through relapse; and (6) celebrating success. Each of the six skill areas includes self-assessments, a review of key concepts and individual/group activities. Scoring the game is based on team participation. The cost is $25 plus $5 shipping and handling. Order info. 

30+ Book Chapter and Journal Reprints on CD-ROM features a library of more than 40 Human Resources Institute authored organizational development and health promotion book chapter and journal article reprints. Each reprint is available in an Adobe Acrobat PDF format. Many computers already have the Acrobat Reader installed. The CD-ROM can install the Acrobat Reader if it is needed. $99 plus $5 shipping. Order info. 

The Test of Your Lifetime is a 5-minute health risk appraisal provides instant feedback on how lifestyle influences life expectancy. The simplicity  of the Test of Your Lifetime brings health risks and lifestyle strengths into focus in a way that is easily comprehensible. The brochure format also suggests action steps for successful lifestyle change. 

The PC and Internet format can be easily tailored to refer people to websites or listings of health promotion programs that specifically address their unique lifestyle risk profiles. One social comparisons version of Test of Your Lifetime records employee answers in a database. This function makes it possible to track health risks in groups. It also provides feedback to participants about how their health practices compare with those of their peers. Participants use this information to recognize cultural norms and to change misperceptions about normal health practices. This feedback is great for health competitions, establishing new cultural norms and assessing the impact of wellness programs. More Information about options and ordering.

The Lifegain Health Culture Audit measures norms and values related to major wellness themes such as self-responsibility, healthy fun, mutual respect, and achieving one's full potential. In addition, the survey examines peer support and organizational support systems that can make or break employee efforts to adopt healthier and more productive practices. Each Lifegain Health Culture Audit examines work climate factors such as sense of community, shared vision and positive outlook. A Health Behavior Profile examines health risk behavior such as work-life balance and smoking. Additional survey questions can assess program satisfaction, barriers to participation and employee preferences regarding the format and content of future wellness programming. Extensive reports create a picture of both employee well-being and the health of your corporate culture. The Lifegain Health Culture Audit even provides basic financial forecast tools designed to determine the economic impact of your health promotion efforts. Results can be broken down by demographic and employment groups. 

A Wellness Management journal article provides a firsthand account of how the Lifegain Health Culture Audit benefited the wellness program of of Arlington County, Virginia.  

Data can be entered online directly by those completing the survey or by data entry staff. For an additional charge of $1 per survey, data can be scanned in from printed surveys. View survey.  

The cost of the survey and report is $5,000. Sub-reports and multi-year comparisons are $500 each. Data scanning is available for $1 per survey. Please call to schedule the survey at (800) 800-3004. Outside the U.S., call (802) 862-8855. 

The Lifegain Health Culture Audit (Short Form) is a tool for planning and evaluating health promotion efforts. This short version of the Lifegain Health Culture Audit assesses the level of cultural support for avoiding health risk behavior. It examines five cultural factors--values, norms, organizational support, peer support and climate--that influence employees’ abilities to maintain positive health practices such as regular exercise, stress management and low-fat diets. The survey also examines those aspects of the culture that influence unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking, excess drinking and an imbalance between work, rest and play.

The 25-question survey asks employees to indicate their level of agreement that their work group supports healthy lifestyles. The multiple-choice survey can be completed in less than 5 minutes. Responses are keyed in directly online or you can print out copies of the one-page survey and have a member of your team enter the data. A 20-page+ Lifegain Health Culture Audit Report shares specific recommendations useful for creating healthier and more productive cultures. And, the report discusses the validity and reliability of survey findings. View Survey. 

The cost of the survey and report is $5,000. Sub-reports and multi-year comparisons are $500 each. Data scanning is available for $1 per survey. Please call to schedule the survey at (800) 800-3004. Outside the U.S., call (802) 862-8855. 

The Lifegain Health Culture Audit Presentation examines survey results. Findings from the Lifegain Health Culture Audit provide an important baseline for efforts to create cultural support for healthy lifestyles and productivity. In order to take advantage of this information, it will be necessary to develop an awareness of what the results mean and how they can guide future actions.  During the half-day presentation key culture change principles and a culture change framework are presented. Participants develop specific action plans for bringing about lasting and positive culture change. 

The seminar is lead by Judd Allen, Ph.D. The cost is $2,000 plus travel expenses from Vermont. The recommended seminar size is between 8 and 50 participants. Resource materials are $10 per participant. A 50% deposit is needed to reserve a seminar date. Call (802) 862-8855 or write Info@healthyculture.com to schedule the seminar.