Health promotion in the worksite has experienced enormous growth in recent years. Yet, with regard to cancer prevention, programs are relatively new and few have been rigorously evaluated. This project proposes to conduct and evaluate a nutrition and screening promotion intervention program among pattern and model makers at General Motors Corporation. Pattern and model makers have been identified as having an elevated risk of colorectal cancer mortality, and as a result GM has implemented an on-going colorectal cancer screening program. Thirteen pairs of worksites, representing more than 6000 employees, are targeted for study. Ninety percent of the pattern and model makers are white; ninety-seven percent are male. One worksite in each pair will be randomly selected to receive the nutrition and screening enhancement interventions. Worksite will be the unit of analysis. The control worksite will receive the usual GM screening program and any health promotional programs currently available at the plant. No additional efforts will be made in the control worksites to increase participation. The intervention sites will receive a special program designed to enhance screening participation and compliance with screening guidelines The nutrition intervention will combine education, environmental change, and regular contact to achieve a reduction in percentage calories from fat, average total fat intake and an increase in average dietary fiber intake across the intervention worksite. The screening intervention will use constructs from the Health Belief model and from Social Learning Theory to promote participation in on-going worksite cancer screening programs. Both interventions will include physician-endorsed, passport-sized, self-held records (COLO-RECORD AND NUTRI-RECORD). The records include personalized screening or nutrition history and educational messages about colorectal cancer screening or nutrition and to encourage compliance. Measurement of fat and fiber intake by food frequency, and compliance with screening recommendations will determine the long-term efficacy of the programs.
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