Transforming a provincial city: The Pilbeam Mayoralty in Rockhampton 1952-1982

Rockhampton City'S colourful and controversial Alderman Rex Pilbeam, qualified public accountant and secretary, longest-serving mayor (1952-82) of any Australian city, took office when Rockhampton was burdened with heavy municipal debt, poor quality roads, costly water supply, little sewerage, and few recreational faCilities. However, Pi/beam's vision, single-minded devotion, unflagging energy, political skill, and managerial flair brought a dramatic turnaround in the city's fortunes. Continuing after retirement with voluntary community service until his mid-eighties, the Pi/beam legacy 10 RockhamplOn is everywhere in evidence.

Evidence-based approaches to dissemination and diffusion of physical activity interventions

With the increasing availability of effective, evidence-based physical activity interventions, widespread diffusion is needed. We examine conceptual foundations for research on dissemination and diffusion of physical activity interventions; describe two school-based program examples; review examples of dissemination and diffusion research on other health behaviors; and examine policies that may accelerate the diffusion process. Lack of dissemination and diffusion evaluation research and policy advocacy is one of the factors limiting the impact of evidence-based physical activity interventions on public health. There is the need to collaborate with policy experts from other fields to improve the interdisciplinary science base for dissemination and diffusion. The promise of widespread adoption of evidence-based physical activity interventions to improve public health is sufficient to justify devotion of substantial resources to the relevant research on dissemination and diffusion.