ELCA Board of Pensions, Mayo Clinic Offer Health Risk Assessment

Chicago (ELCA)-FI — The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Board of Pensions, Minneapolis, and Division for Ministry are teaming up with Mayo Clinic Health Management Resources, Rochester, Minn., to offer ELCA leaders, employees and family members use of the Mayo Clinic Health Risk Assessment at www.elcaforwellness.org/ on the Web through Feb. 25 as part of their "Healthy Leaders Enhance Lives" wellness campaign. As of Jan. 27, more than 2,000 assessments were completed.

The interactive online program allows users to assess their health risks and develop plans to stay healthy. Users provide health-related information, such as blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol and glucose counts.

Users receive instant, individualized online reports from Mayo Clinic outlining health risks and prioritizing actions that can be taken. Each user completing the assessment also receives a free copy of Mayo Clinic's 308-page "Guide to Self-Care."

Information entered in the assessment is confidential. The ELCA Board of Pensions receives summary information about the ages of the respondents, whether respondents are lay or clergy, the respondents' stated willingness to implement any recommendations from the assessment and the top five medical conditions the respondents report.

"We're very happy to report that since the assessment began on Jan. 6, a total of 2,021 people have completed the health risk assessment," said the Rev. Ronald T. Glusenkamp, vice president for customer outreach, ELCA Board of Pensions. "Lay employees account for 464 of the completed assessments, while pastors have completed 1,171," he said. The total includes family members and seminarians who completed assessments.

"The total number of registrations to www.elcaforwellness.org has increased by 93 percent since Jan. 1 and is currently at 4,185," Glusenkamp said. The Web site is available to registered users beyond the assessment period. More than 48 percent of those registered completed the assessment by Jan. 27.

"Now is the time to encourage and support a change in people's health behaviors, if we are to reverse the trend of growing health concerns. We need healthy leaders in this church who can and do enhance the lives of those around them," said Dr. Gwen W. Halaas, M.D., project director, Ministerial Health and Wellness, ELCA Board of Pensions and Division for Ministry.

In April 2001 the Summex Corporation, Indianapolis, conducted a representative survey of ELCA leaders. Halaas used information from that survey and from the ELCA Board of Pensions to prepare a 2002 report for the church, comparing the health of ELCA leaders with the general health of U.S. citizens and available research on the health of U.S. clergy.

"Preliminary group results of the online health risk assessment are similar to our earlier studies on ministerial health and wellness. That research shows ELCA pastors and lay leaders experience high incidents of stress, weight problems, inactivity and heart disease when compared with those in other occupations," Halaas said.

"The online assessment is a simple, fast way for people to identify health risks and receive online resources to help support and change their health behaviors. It is encouraging to see an increase in the number of pastors and other church workers who are ready to improve their health," she said.

"We're pleased to see so many people taking advantage of the opportunity to participate in the Health Risk Assessment because they understand the importance of leading a healthier life," Glusenkamp said.

"Healthy leaders really do enhance lives, including their own," he said, urging the remaining church leaders to complete the assessment. "It could just save a life."