Objective To determine the relationship between lifestyle variables including body mass index (BMI) and filing a worker’s compensation claim due to firefighter injury. Methods A cross-sectional evaluation of firefighter injury related worker compensation claims occurring 5 years after the original PHLAME study intervention. Results Logistic regression analysis for variables predicting filing a worker’s compensation claim due to an injury were performed. with a total of 433 participants. The odds of filing a compensation claim were almost three times higher for firefighters with a BMI >30 compared to firefighters with normal BMI (odds ratio=2.89, p<.05). Conclusions This study addresses a high priority area of reducing firefighter injuries and worker’s compensation claims. Maintaining a healthy body weight is important to reduce injury and worker’s compensation claims among firefighters.

Objective This study’s purpose was to identify and evaluate determinants of fire departments’ wellness program adoption. Methods The PHLAME fire service wellness program was offered for free to all medium-sized fire departments in Oregon and Washington. An invitation to participate was mailed to key fire department decision-makers (chief, union president, and wellness officer). These key decision-makers from 12 sites that adopted the program and 24 matched non-adopting sites were interviewed, and results analyzed to define adoption determinants. Results Three adoption requirements were identified:(1) mailer connection, (2) local firefighter wellness champion, and (3) willing fire chief, while a fourth set of organizational factors had little or no impact on adoption including prior and ongoing wellness activities, financial pressures, and resistance to change. Conclusions Findings identified determinants of medium-sized fire service wellness program adoption.

The potential for using widespread genetic testing to inform health care has become a viable option, particularly for heritable cancers. Yet, little is known about how to effectively communicate the benefits and risks of both personal genetic testing and participation in biorepositories that aid scientific advancements. Nationwide efforts are engaging communities in large genetic studies to better estimate the population‐wide prevalence of heritable cancers but have been met with hesitance or declination to participate in some communities. To successfully engage an Oregon population in longitudinal research that includes predictive genetic testing for pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants associated with an increased risk for cancer, researchers conducted 35 focus groups (two of which were held in Spanish) in 24 of Oregon's 36 counties to better understand knowledge and attitudes related to genetic testing and willingness to participate in longitudinal genetic research. A total of 203 adults (mean = 45.6 years; range 18–88), representing a range of education levels and prior knowledge of genetic research, participated in the focus groups. The majority (85%) of participants reported personal or family diagnoses of cancer (e.g., self, family, friends). A majority (87%) also reported a strong interest in cancer genetic testing and receiving genetic information about themselves. Nearly all focus groups (94%, 33 of 35 sites) included participant discussion citing their families (e.g., children, close relatives, and extended family members) as key motivators for participation in genetic research. For example, participants reported interest in increasing personal knowledge about their own and their families’ cancer risks in order to respond proactively, if a pathogenic variant was found. While most focus groups (94%, 33 of 35 sites) included participant discussion describing barriers to predictive genetic, testing such as concerns about outcomes, the desire to learn about health risks in oneself mitigated or outweighed those fears for many participants. Other commonly reported concerns were related to potential mistrust of insurance companies, researchers, or institutions, or lack of knowledge about genetics, genetic testing, or genetic research. Participants, particularly in rural areas, highlighted critical factors for research recruitment, such as trust, personal interaction, public education about genetic research, and clear communication about study goals and processes. Our statewide findings reflect that public interest in predictive cancer genetic testing and cancer genetic research can surpass lack of knowledge of the complex topics, particularly when benefits for self and family are emphasized and when study considerations are well articulated.