Health Promotion International Advance Access originally published online on December 9, 2005
Health Promotion International 2006 21(1):66-69; doi:10.1093/heapro/dai033
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Participation rates in worksite-based intervention studies: health promotion context as a crucial quality criterion
1Department of Human Biology and 2Department of Health Education and Promotion, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands and 3Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Address for correspondence: L. Kwak Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands E-mail: l.kwak{at}hb.unimaas.nl
Recently, a set of specific quality evaluation criteria for health promotion research has been proposed in this journal. One of the quality criteria identified is the health promotion context. With this paper we would like to contribute to the dialogue by specifying the importance of this criterion on the basis of our on experience with worksite-based obesity prevention interventions. We advocate the reporting of participation rates among approached worksites in publications on worksite intervention effects. Such information will help to draw conclusions on the practical relevance of the shown effectiveness of the intervention. Health promotion practice is advised to adopt and disseminate evidence-based interventions, accompanied by a diffusion study with a minimal research burden for participants.