(P22-007-23) Surviving & Thriving: A Study Protocol for Usability Testing and Validation of a Healthy Lifestyle App for New US Firefighters

Objectives: In the United States, new firefighters’ fitness and health behaviors deteriorate rapidly after fire academy graduation. The goal of our study is to develop a smartphone app for a Healthy Lifestyle (HLS) intervention aimed at new firefighters. We will then conduct pilot-testing with fire academy graduates and refine the app according to their feedback. Lastly, we will validate the app’s ability to maintain user-engagement and positive effects on HLS parameters.

Methods: The app “Surviving and Thriving” delivers interactive educational content in four HLS domains: nutrition, sleep, physical activity, and resilience. The full prototype includes three levels of educational materials with ten mechanical tasks per level for each domain. The app will include a habit tracker and “gamification” mechanisms to increase engagement and behavior change.

Upon completion of a minimal viable product (i.e., 30% of the full functionality), alpha testing by our internal team followed by pre-beta testing by a fire service panel will be conducted to reform the app to a pre-consumer version. Beta-testing, or usability testing, for the full prototype will then be conducted with a group of new fire academy graduates from two New England fire academies. The app will be modified according to firefighters’ feedback from focus groups and satisfaction surveys.

Lastly, the validation phase will evaluate adherence to the HLS program for 3 to 6 months and efficacy at maintaining/improving HLS parameters as measured by validated health metrics (Healthy Lifestyle behaviors and mental health metrics, physical fitness metrics, “health cultures” score). The conclusion of the validation stage will be followed by the design and implementation of an app-based intervention in a randomized controlled trial.

Results: N/A - study protocol

Conclusions: We aim to develop and validate a user-friendly HLS app that will help new firefighters maintain/improve their training-derived health/fitness levels more effectively compared to baseline data and historical control data. New firefighters who maintain healthy lifestyles during their initial year will be more likely to sustain good health habits throughout their careers and decrease their risk of chronic lifestyle-related diseases.

Funding Sources: This project is funded by the US Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency.