AFMC's new wellness-tracking system available online

By Kathleen A.K. Lopez
Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- First, came a memorandum of agreement authorizing civilians to have duty time for physical fitness, which later was amended to include wellness activities.

Next was a tobacco control policy, limiting designated smoking areas on Air Force Materiel Command bases to be no closer than 50 feet to any building. Now, welcome the Air Force Civilian Health Risk Appraisal, a questionnaire geared toward assessing and enhancing quality of life.

AFMC is one command serious about raising the bar of wellness and safety for its 54,000 civilian employees - nearly three-quarters of its total work force.

"The HRA is a key component of corporate wellness programs across America," said Gen. Bruce Carlson, AFMC commander, upon the rollout of the HRA and the online AFMC Civilian Wellness Support Center April 17. "The HRA provides individualized, real-time, wellness-related information and feedback to workers, allowing them to make informed decisions in a number of important wellness categories."

An outreach of Civilian Health Promotion Services, or CHPS, the HRA is a voluntary initiative that is part of the command's overall movement toward a wellness-focused and safe work force. It is the focal point of the Web-based support center, and will be available to active-duty members in the near future.

"Taking the HRA questionnaire gives a person a baseline for beginning or maintaining his or her own four-dimensional wellness lifestyle change. From there, an individual can explore countless resources," said Lt. Col. John Leitnaker, chief, Operational Prevention Branch, AFMC Command Surgeon.

To access the site, log onto http://www.afmcwellness.com , then click on "AFMC Civilian Wellness." Establish a login ID and password, and you're ready to take the HRA, and explore a seemingly endless number of resources aimed at improving the four dimensions of wellness, which are physical, social, emotional and spiritual.

Answering the HRA questionnaire takes between 10 and 15 minutes, and feedback is immediate.

"It takes so little time to complete the HRA, but it equates to taking a very big step toward one's commitment to personal well-being," Leitnaker said. "Reflecting on the questions then getting the results so quickly gets you motivated to set goals and change behaviors."

The appraisal begins with a question of overall health. The follow-on questions seek more specific information about blood pressure and cholesterol, medical conditions, such as an ailment, and symptoms, such as pain. It includes questions (in drop-down menu form) about family history as well as physical activity and exercise, productivity, diet, body weight, psychological and social health, substance use and health and safety. It concludes by inquiring about readiness for change, for instance, trying to eat better, increase exercise, quit smoking or drinking.

Upon completion of the questionnaire, click "submit" and the results are on the user's screen. The feedback is given in blocks of information as they apply to the four dimensions of wellness. After completing the HRA, persons have access to the AFMC wellness Web page.

Because individuals have taken the HRA, the site is more of a personal online diary for wellness. Participants can set goals and track their progress toward them. In addition to an overall wellness profile, individuals have their own activity, weight, blood pressure and blood panel logs. There are various wellness newsletters, covering topics ranging from eating well to fighting depression to managing stress, as well as featured monthly topics, such as heart disease and osteoporosis.

In addition to being voluntary the program is completely anonymous, Leitnaker said. When setting up a login identification and PIN, individuals are asked to supply some basic demographic information. An e-mail address is optional but not required. However, submitting an e-mail address enables the contractor to provide individuals with targeted health program information. Addresses are encrypted and not shared.

The launch of the HRA and the AFMC Civilian Wellness Support Center, as well as the wellness MOA and tobacco control policy, are all part of the command's Wellness and Safety Campaign, which debuted in May. Carlson identified wellness and safety of the command's military and civilian work force as one of his top three priorities shortly after assuming command in August 2005.

By creating a wellness-focused and safe work force throughout the command, Carlson intends to enhance readiness and productivity of it, and minimize personal risk of preventable injury, illness or suicide. The campaign will build upon the already established AFMC Wingman culture, which is to be alert, get involved and take action.