What is a Wellness Survey?

A wellness survey is a type of questionnaire that is often given both in educational environments, as well as corporate environments. It may be a paper survey or one given online, in which participants may log on to a designated website and provide answers to questions regarding their lifestyles. Typically, a wellness survey includes questions about one's overall wellness; this may include dietary and exercise habits, safety behaviors such as wearing a seatbelt in a vehicle, potentially damaging habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol, or mental health questions regarding overall satisfaction with life.

These are just a few of the most common examples of questions found on a wellness survey. A survey such as this is often fairly lengthy, but some companies offer incentives to their employees to complete the survey, which may even include a small paycheck bonus. Participants who complete the survey may then be given suggestions for improving specific aspects of their overall wellness, tailored to them based on their responses for certain questions. For this reason, it is important to be honest when completing a wellness survey; in many cases, these questionnaires may be completed anonymously.

Diet and exercise habits are two of the most common question types found on a wellness survey. These might ask the frequency with which one eats red meat or dairy products, as well as fruits, vegetables, grains, or unhealthy snack foods. The amount of time that one spends exercising in an average day or week is typically included as well, since this is an indicator of overall wellness. Basic questions such as height and weight are often included, as well as questions regarding the normal levels of one's blood pressure.

Of course, there is more to wellness than diet and exercise. If one frequently drinks alcohol or smokes cigarettes, or participates in potentially dangerous activities such as not wearing a seatbelt in a car or not wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle, these can have a negative impact as well. Mental health questions are also frequently included on a wellness survey, and may include questions about the frequency with which an individual might feel anxious, depressed, or stressed. A wellness survey is not intended to be a diagnostic tool, but is generally simply intended to encourage participants to spend more time thinking about their current levels of health, as well as to begin to identify areas where changes could be made on a company-wide basis.