title: The stage of change approach for implementing ergonomics advice - Translating research into practice.
abstract: The Stage of Change (SOC) approach has been proposed as a method to improve the implementation of ergonomics advice. However, despite evidence for its efficacy there is little evidence to suggest it has been adopted by ergonomics consultants. This paper investigates barriers and facilitators to the implementation, monitoring and effectiveness of ergonomics advice and the adoption of the SOC approach in a series of focus groups and a subsequent survey of members of the Human Factors Societies of Australia and New Zealand. A proposed SOC assessment tool developed for use by ergonomics practitioners is presented. Findings from this study suggest the limited application of a SOC based approach to work-related musculoskeletal injury prevention by ergonomics practitioners is due to the absence of a suitable tool in the ergonomists' repertoire, the need for training in this approach, and their limited access to relevant research findings. The final translation of the SOC assessment tool into professional ergonomics practice will require accessible demonstration of its real-world usability to practitioners and the training of ergonomics practitioners in its application.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Australia. Electronic address: paul.rothmore@adelaide.edu.au.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rothmore
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Public Health, School of Health Sciences, Flinders University, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aylward
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ergonomics and Human Factors, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Australia.
authors.forename: Jodi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oakman
authors.affiliation: Healthy Work Group, School of Management, Massey University, New Zealand.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tappin
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Jodi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Karnon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003253:Consultants; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000293:injuries*; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016730:Program Development; D012308:Risk Management; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Ergonomics interventions; Implementation; Stage of change; Translation