title: Understanding the durability of a fire department wellness program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand the influences associated with durability and diffusion of benefits of a fire service wellness program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative assessment of group interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five years following a controlled worksite wellness trial, behavioral improvements were durable and had diffused to control participants. These findings were associated with firefighters' team orientation, enacted healthy norms and competitiveness regarding the results of annual health assessments. The original intervention trial appeared to initiate individual change that coalesced into group effects. Secondary influences included increasing public awareness about health, newly hired younger firefighters, and a modicum of administrative support. Culture shift was achieved at the workplace.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the fire service is a unique occupation, these findings suggest general strategies to achieve durable positive health change in other occupational settings.
authors.affiliation: Washington State University Vancouver, Department of Teaching and Learning, Vancouver, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mabry
authors.forename: Diane L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Elliot
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Mackinnon
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Thoemmes
authors.forename: Kerry S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kuehl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D061388:Firefighters / Q000523:psychology*; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017132:Workplace