TY - JOUR
T1 - Perceptions of lung function surveillance in urban firefighters
AU - Pendergrast, Catherine
AU - Boyle, Terry
AU - Crockett, Alan J.
AU - Eston, Roger
AU - Johnston, Kylie N.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.
PY - 2023/10/1
Y1 - 2023/10/1
N2 - Background and objective: Workplace health and safety (WHS) is an important responsibility falling on both employers and employees and is most effective when the perspectives of all stakeholders are considered. This study aimed to explore the facilitators and barriers to a voluntary workplace lung function surveillance program from the perspective of urban firefighters and describe their perceptions of its value. Methods: Using a qualitative, descriptive methodology, firefighters who had participated in a longitudinal lung function surveillance study were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews. Purposeful, maximum variation sampling was used to achieve diversity in those firefighters invited to participate. We used inductive content analysis to identify themes. Results: Interviews with 15 firefighters identified 3 main themes: (i) practical experience of surveillance (administration, communication, workplace culture change, convenience, acceptability, and appeal); (ii) value of surveillance (lung health efficacy and control, social support, workplace management support/motivations, contribution to global firefighter health); and (iii) contribution of surveillance to health (occupational risk, relevance in the context of total health, workability, and fitness and future value). Conclusion: Practical and psychosocial facilitators and barriers to providing lung function surveillance in the fire service were identified. In addition to the personal benefits of detecting adverse lung health and allowing for medical intervention, factors known to positively influence firefighter workplace wellbeing, such as providing peace of mind, feedback on good work practices, motivation to utilize control measures, management commitment to health, and providing data to assist with global knowledge were valued aspects of longitudinal lung function surveillance.
AB - Background and objective: Workplace health and safety (WHS) is an important responsibility falling on both employers and employees and is most effective when the perspectives of all stakeholders are considered. This study aimed to explore the facilitators and barriers to a voluntary workplace lung function surveillance program from the perspective of urban firefighters and describe their perceptions of its value. Methods: Using a qualitative, descriptive methodology, firefighters who had participated in a longitudinal lung function surveillance study were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews. Purposeful, maximum variation sampling was used to achieve diversity in those firefighters invited to participate. We used inductive content analysis to identify themes. Results: Interviews with 15 firefighters identified 3 main themes: (i) practical experience of surveillance (administration, communication, workplace culture change, convenience, acceptability, and appeal); (ii) value of surveillance (lung health efficacy and control, social support, workplace management support/motivations, contribution to global firefighter health); and (iii) contribution of surveillance to health (occupational risk, relevance in the context of total health, workability, and fitness and future value). Conclusion: Practical and psychosocial facilitators and barriers to providing lung function surveillance in the fire service were identified. In addition to the personal benefits of detecting adverse lung health and allowing for medical intervention, factors known to positively influence firefighter workplace wellbeing, such as providing peace of mind, feedback on good work practices, motivation to utilize control measures, management commitment to health, and providing data to assist with global knowledge were valued aspects of longitudinal lung function surveillance.
KW - firefighter
KW - lung function surveillance
KW - qualitative
KW - wellbeing
KW - workplace health and safety
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85172424618&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/annweh/wxad040
DO - 10.1093/annweh/wxad040
M3 - Article
C2 - 37499229
AN - SCOPUS:85172424618
SN - 2398-7308
VL - 67
SP - 926
EP - 937
JO - Annals of work exposures and health
JF - Annals of work exposures and health
IS - 8
ER -