Exploring the Acceptance and Utility of the Lighthouse Health and Wellness Mobile Application Among First Responders
Erin Craw, Director of Research | erin.craw@lighthousehw.org | (203) 615-4191
Overview of the Study
This study aims to understand the acceptability and usefulness of the Lighthouse Health and Wellness mobile application. The study will address the following specific aims:
- Gain insight into the first responders’ attitudes toward using the Lighthouse application for wellness support.
- Identify what factors influence first responders’ acceptance of the Lighthouse application.
- Explore first responders’ views of the overall usefulness of the Lighthouse application.
Benefits to the Department
Lighthouse will provide a full report of overall findings to the department. The report will include evidence-based recommendations for addressing any issues related to the acceptability or utilization of the Lighthouse application, in addition to the following:
- Gain a deeper understanding of first responders’ perceptions of using the Lighthouse application to enhance their personal wellness.
- Identify what might be needed to improve the usability of the Lighthouse application.
- Provide evidence-based recommendations for improving perceptions of accessibility to mental and physical health support and enhancing utilization of the Lighthouse application within your agency.
Data Collection
- Brief online questionnaire and consent form (less than 5 minutes to complete)
- Virtual or in-person one-on-one interviews with about 10-15 individuals from your agency
- Confidential – all names will be removed and replaced with pseudonyms, and all data will be saved on a password-protected computer
- Findings will be reported as an aggregate
- Officers can reach out to me directly via email to schedule one-on-one interviews
Timeline
July-August – Data collection
September-October – Analysis/Reporting
About the Researcher: Erin Craw, Ph.D.
Dr. Craw graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in Communication with emphases in health and interpersonal communication. Prior to that, she earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and journalism from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree in health communication from Fairfield University. Erin received her First Responder Support and Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Certifications in 2021. She is also currently working toward a certificate in Police Mental Wellness through the College of Certified Psychophysiologists. Her research interests are at the intersection of health and interpersonal communication. More specifically, communication as it relates to social support, stigma, and resilience. Her dissertation focused on understanding law enforcement officers’ preferences for mental health-related support. During her time at Chapman, she was awarded the Michelle Miller-Day Research Award in both 2021 and 2022 for her work in health communication related to first responders. Craw currently works as a Lecturer in the School of Communication at Chapman University in addition to leading research for Lighthouse Health and Wellness.
As the daughter of a police officer (37 years on the job) and granddaughter of a firefighter (40 years on the job), she has a true passion for research that informs mental health- related interventions for first responders, enhances communication surrounding mental health, and improves access to support. Over the past five years, Erin has been interviewing first responders, taking first responder culture courses, and spending time immersing herself in the profession as much as possible.