Patterns of Instrumental and Informational Workplace Health Support Use Among Hospital Service Workers of Low- to Mid-Socioeconomic Status
- 1Program in Occupational Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine
- 2Division of General Medicine and Geriatrics, Washington University School of Medicine
- 3George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis
Abstract
Purpose To examine workplace health supports (WHS) use and sociodemographic and organizational correlates among healthcare workers predominantly of low- to mid-socioeconomic status (SES). Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Large U.S. healthcare system, 2018. Sample 1283 healthcare service workers; 1196 included in final analyses (93.2%). Measures Instrumental and informational WHS use; SES; race; age; shift; sex; obesity; organizational health climate; coworker support; supervisor support. Analysis Pearson point biserial correlations ( r pb ), phi (Φ) statistics, and multivariable negative binomial regression models were used. Interaction terms between organizational health climate and sociodemographic characteristics were tested. Results The median employee used two WHS (one instrumental, one informational). Older age was associated with greater informational WHS use (Φ = .13 to .21), while Black race was associated with greater instrumental WHS use (Φ = .09 to .15). Organizational health climate was modestly associated with healthy eating and physical activity WHS ( r pb = .09 to .11). In adjusted models, age, race, and organizational health climate remained independently associated with WHS use. Modest interaction effects were observed between organizational health climate and race (total and informational models) and sex (total model). Conclusion Differentiating WHS by support type reveals meaningful differences in engagement across worker groups. Findings highlight the importance of organizational context. Results should be interpreted cautiously given the cross-sectional design and self-reported measures.
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BibTeX
@article{walsh2026patterns,
title = {{Patterns of Instrumental and Informational Workplace Health Support Use Among Hospital Service Workers of Low- to Mid-Socioeconomic Status}},
author = {Ryan J. Walsh and Ryan Colvin and Ann Marie Dale and Rachel G. Tabak and Bradley A. Evanoff},
journal = {American journal of health promotion : AJHP},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1177/08901171261490288},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/08901171261490288},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Patterns of Instrumental and Informational Workplace Health Support Use Among Hospital Service Workers of Low- to Mid-Socioeconomic Status
AU - Ryan J. Walsh
AU - Ryan Colvin
AU - Ann Marie Dale
AU - Rachel G. Tabak
AU - Bradley A. Evanoff
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/20
JO - American journal of health promotion : AJHP
DO - 10.1177/08901171261490288
UR - https://doi.org/10.1177/08901171261490288
AB - Purpose To examine workplace health supports (WHS) use and sociodemographic and organizational correlates among healthcare workers predominantly of low- to mid-socioeconomic status (SES). Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Large U.S. healthcare system, 2018. Sample 1283 healthcare service workers; 1196 included in final analyses (93.2%). Measures Instrumental and informational WHS use; SES; race; age; shift; sex; obesity; organizational health climate; coworker support; supervisor support. Analysis Pearson point biserial correlations ( r pb ), phi (Φ) statistics, and multivariable negative binomial regression models were used. Interaction terms between organizational health climate and sociodemographic characteristics were tested. Results The median employee used two WHS (one instrumental, one informational). Older age was associated with greater informational WHS use (Φ = .13 to .21), while Black race was associated with greater instrumental WHS use (Φ = .09 to .15). Organizational health climate was modestly associated with healthy eating and physical activity WHS ( r pb = .09 to .11). In adjusted models, age, race, and organizational health climate remained independently associated with WHS use. Modest interaction effects were observed between organizational health climate and race (total and informational models) and sex (total model). Conclusion Differentiating WHS by support type reveals meaningful differences in engagement across worker groups. Findings highlight the importance of organizational context. Results should be interpreted cautiously given the cross-sectional design and self-reported measures.
SN - 0890-1171
SN - 2168-6602
ER -