Earlier investigations have shown that participation in workplace health promotion (WHP) initiatives is shaped by sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Building on this evidence, the present study specifically examines factors associated with nonparticipation using data from a representative German population sample. To explore determinants of nonparticipation, organizational attributes were analyzed alongside sociodemographic factors and variables related to health behavior. The empirical basis of the analysis is data derived from the GEDA 2014/2015-EHIS survey conducted by the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin. Higher age was associated with a markedly increased odds of nonparticipation (OR: between 1.30 and 1.92, p: between <0.001 and 0.033). In contrast, other potential predictors—such as body weight, smoking behavior, alcohol use, physical activity, and dietary patterns—showed only weak associations in this model. Perceived assignment to a specific socioeconomic status category was also significantly related to nonparticipation (OR: 0.76, p: <0.001).Overall, nonparticipation appears to be primarily linked to sociodemographic and socioeconomic determinants. These aspects should therefore be considered when developing strategies to reduce nonparticipation. However, validation using more recent or longitudinal datasets is required to assess whether these findings remain applicable or are affected by cohort-related influences.
