A Communication Matrix Intervention to Increase Adoption of Federal Government Safety Recommendations

Abstract

A 3-year, multichannel intervention project assessed adoption of federal government workplace safety testing methods among 3 randomly drawn samples of industrial hygienists. A communication matrix (McGuire, 1985, 1989) framework focusing on stages of reception, processing, and response was used to create, implement, and evaluate the intervention. Participants were interviewed by phone during 3 waves: baseline, immediately following year 1 of the intervention, and immediately following year 2 of the intervention. Results indicate a gain in reception over the course of the intervention. Increases in attitudes, control beliefs, intentions, and self-reported behavior were found between baseline and the 1st year of the intervention, and were maintained (although not increased) during the 2nd year of the intervention. Strengths and weaknesses of the intervention are viewed through the scope of the communication matrix.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This project was planned and implemented while Steve Booth-Butterfield and Jennifer L. Welbourne were employed at the Health Communication Research Branch, NIOSH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, located in Morgantown, West Virginia. Sybil Ott is currently employed with the United States Department of Justice. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of NIOSH.

Notes

¹Baseline levels of use for the NIOSH methods might seem higher than would be expected. Although the methods were a relatively new development at the time the baseline measures took place, some industrial hygienists may have been aware of (and using them) due to information received at conferences or informally through contact with NIOSH and the scientists who developed the methods.