The Adoption of Health Promotion Programs by State Agencies

Abstract

Personnel directors of Texas state agencies were surveyed one month prior to and one year following the passage of the 1983 Texas State Employee Health Fitness and Education Act. This legislation allowed the agencies to use available funds and facilities for health promotion programs. Most of the personnel directors were aware of the Act and of the potential benefits of health promotion programs. There was general interest in learning more about health promotion, available community resources, and about the time and energy commitments in developing a program. Most believed they would implement programs in the future. In the year following the passage of the Act, 16 percent of the agencies, covering 30,852 employees, had received approval to begin programs. Size was positively related to plan development and approval. The results are discussed using diffusion theory.