Factors Affecting High School Teacher Adoption, Sustainability, and Fidelity to the Youth@Work: Talking Safety Curriculum

Background Our objective was to identify individual-and organizational-level factors that affect high school teacher adoption, sustainability, and fidelity to the occupational safety and health curriculum, Youth@Work: Talking Safety. Methods We analyzed survey data collected from 104 high school teachers across the US who were trained in the curriculum since 2004. Linear and Cox regression were used to examine bivariate associations between individual and organizational-level factors and the outcomes of interest. Results Except for perceived complexity, all individual-level factors (acceptance, enthusiasm, teaching methods fit, and self-efficacy) were associated with one or more outcomes of interest (P-values ranged from <0.001 to 0.031). Priority for non-academic courses (P = 0.035) and supportive organizational climate (P = 0.037) were the organizational-level factors associated with sustainability and number of lessons delivered, respectively. Conclusions Consistent with the literature, individual-level factors influenced teacher adoption and, to a lesser extent, sustainability, and fidelity to the Youth@Work: Talking Safety curriculum and should be considered in attempts to promote the curriculum's use in high schools. (C) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.