At Work - Past Issues
At Work 66 (Fall 2011)
A tough nut to crack: Understanding the increasing share of no-lost-time claims in Ontario
Ontario’s no-lost-time claims increased from 56 per cent of all accepted claims in 1991 to 68 per cent in 2006, according to new research from the Institute for Work & Health. But it’s too soon to say what’s driving this phenomenon.
Health-care Rx: Reducing work absences among Canadian nurses
Creating non-violent and supportive health-care workplaces might help prevent prolonged work absences among nurses. This is the upshot of a new study from the Institute for Work & Health.
Researching workplace depression: Where to go from here
More high quality research is needed to determine what types of programs will most effectively address depression in the workplace. But at least we know this type of research is possible.
Change is possible: Ontario youth work injury rate declining
A recent study from the Institute for Work & Health shows that, in Ontario, the youth injury rate is declining more steeply than, and converging with, the adult rate. This shows these injury rates are not static and can be potentially improved through prevention strategies.
The crystal ball: Predicting return to work following low-back pain
What factors affect how long it will take workers to return to work following an episode of acute low-back pain? A just-completed systematic review from the Institute for Work & Health points to a number of them, including workers’ recovery expectations and their interactions with health-care practitioners.
IN FOCUS: IWH tools in action
With workers’ health and safety top of mind, the Institute for Work & Health has developed easy-to-use resources designed for workers, employers, clinicians, and health and safety professionals. With some tools seeing close to 3,000 downloads, it’s an understatement to say that they have struck a chord in the “real world” of work.
What researchers mean by.... DOI
If you’ve been reading about published research over the past few years, you’ve probably noticed a new vehicle for permanently housing scholarly material: the DOI or Digital Object Identifier. An alphanumeric code, it solves a lot of problems for anyone searching for documents in the vast arena of cyberspace.
IWH News
- IWH scientists contribute to publications
- Next systematic review workshop
- IWH plenaries start up again
At Work 65 (Summer 2011)
The “watchful dose”: Supporting doctors in the effort to reduce the harms of opioid prescribing
An associate scientist from the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) led the creation of the innovative and easy-to-use Opioid Manager. It is designed to help doctors facilitate safe opioid use among patients seeking relief from chronic non-cancer pain, including those recovering from work injuries.
The quest for greater flexibility: Creative innovations for workers with arthritis
Arthritis is a leading cause of disability among adults, and it often affects them in the prime of their career. How it’s approached in the workplace can make all the difference, according to a new study by an adjunct scientist at the Institute for Work & Health.
Tapping the tree of knowledge: How Jane Gibson bridged the research-to-action gap
After a decade of leadership, Jane Brenneman Gibson is retiring this summer. She championed the knowledge transfer and exchange department at the Institute for Work & Health from its infancy to its current state: a leader in the field.
Systematic review looks for KTE evaluation tools
Few well-developed instruments are available to evaluate the implementation and impact of knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) practices. However, some KTE evaluation instruments do hold promise. These are among the key messages stemming from a systematic review led by the Institute for Work & Health.
How workplace policies affect return to work
Organizational policies and practices play a role in whether or not injured workers will return to work and if they will perform well once back at work. A new study from the Institute for Work & Health not only demonstrates this, but also helps explain why.
The power of positive thinking: More evidence on patient expectations and return to work
Recent research from the Institute for Work & Health reinforces evidence that patients who are optimistic about recovery following an injury will actually recover and return to work faster than patients who are less optimistic—a finding that should be recognized in case management decisions.
What researchers mean by...blinding
If you’ve done a taste test and selected ‘Cola X’ over ‘Cola Y,’ then you’ve already experienced what scientists call “blinding.”
IWH News
- Another successful SAC meeting
- Hold the date: Nachemson Memorial Lecture coming this October
At Work 64 (Spring 2011)
Assessing the adequacy of workers’ comp benefits for permanently disabled workers
Workers who suffer permanent impairments from a work injury often receive workers’ compensation benefits to replace lost earnings. Just how well three compensation programs provided adequate benefits is the subject of a new Issue Briefing from the Institute for Work & Health.
Looking for good workplace injury stats? Try the emergency department
Workers’ compensation data is typically used to track the performance of workplace health and safety. A recent study from the Institute for Work & Health suggests emergency department records can provide an independent source of reliable information on job-related injuries and illnesses.
Immigrant worker safety: IWH develops OHS information tool for newcomers
Institute for Work & Health researchers are helping fill a gap in the occupational health and safety system: the need for information tailored to immigrant workers, delivered to them through the services they regularly access at the community level.
Over-qualified immigrants at risk of poorer mental health
Many recent immigrants end up in jobs for which they are over-qualified, putting them at risk of poorer mental health within a relatively short period of time.
Relationship trouble: The role of health-care providers in complex workers’ compensation claims
The interactions among health-care providers, injured workers and workers’ compensation boards can result in problems that delay the return to work of injured workers with complicated claims, according to a recent analysis by Institute for Work & Health researchers.
Five easy pieces: Easy-to-use tool helps predict back-pain outcomes
A simple, five-question tool has been developed to help front-line doctors identify those patients with back pain who are at risk of severe and long-term functional limitations and, therefore, potentially in need of more aggressive treatment and follow-up.
What researchers mean by ... qualitative research
Qualitative research aims to make sense of human experience, beliefs and actions. As such, it provides a rich source of information on social systems and processes.
IWH News
At Work 63 (Winter 2011)
Leading indicators may pinpoint positive differences in OHS practices
The Institute for Work & Health is currently conducting a number of studies that may provide important insights on “leading indicators.” The results from these studies will support efforts to improve the way Ontario firms manage their occupational health and safety programs.
At Issue: Income security for persons with disabilities in Canada
A more coordinated and client-oriented approach is needed for disability benefit programs in Canada, according to a new Issue Briefing from the Institute for Work & Health (IWH).
Cancer Care Ontario: How research evidence helped improve outcomes
Within the span of 10 years, Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) went from an ailing organization to a leading health-care agency. As former CCO head Dr. Terry Sullivan explained at the 2010 Alf Nachemson Memorial Lecture, much of the turn-around can be attributed to a culture of quality improvement tied to research evidence.
Thumbs down: MSK symptoms and hand-held devices
If you use a hand-held device such as a BlackBerry or an iPod, do you experience hand or neck pain? If you answered, “yes,” you’re likely not alone.
Are those who work shifts more at risk of work injury?
The number of Canadians working shifts other than a regular daytime schedule is on the rise. A new study suggests that those who work night or rotating shifts are more at risk of getting injured on the job.
What researchers mean by ... sampling
Sampling is an act of generalization that we participate in all the time.
IWH News
- Former SAC chair recognized by CIHR
- IWH associate scientist receives several honours
- IWH board chair appointed to committee
At Work 62 (Fall 2010)
How modified work affects disability outcomes in long-term care
There is some evidence that modified work for injured workers in Ontario's long-term care sector was associated with a lower burden of disability, according to an Institute for Work & Health (IWH) study.
IWH provides expertise to Ministry of Labour panel
The Institute for Work & Health has been providing research expertise to a Ministry of Labour panel tasked with reviewing Ontario's health and safety prevention and enforcement system.
IWH snapshot: Twenty years in the making
Find out how the Institute for Work & Health has grown from a small organization to a global leader in work-health research.
Nachemson Lecture: Mark your calendars
The Institute for Work & Health is pleased to announce that Dr. Terrence Sullivan, CEO of Cancer Care Ontario, will deliver this year's Alf Nachemson Memorial Lecture. The lecture takes place on Thursday, November 18 in Toronto.
INFOCUS: Investigating temporary employment in Canada
For more than eight years, IWH researchers have explored the impact of temporary employment and other non-standard work forms and arrangements on worker health. Read about some of the latest findings.
What researchers mean by ... probability
If The Weather Network informs you that the probability of precipitation is 80 per cent for the day, it might prompt you to carry an umbrella. Probability provides information abut the likelihood that something will happen.
IWH News
At Work 61 (Summer 2010)
Probing the link between occupation and risk of suicide
Is it an urban myth that workers in certain occupations, such as dentists, are more likely to commit suicide, or not? It turns out that for most occupations, your job does not increase your risk of suicide.
Prevention team develops tool to measure leading indicators
There may be a time in the near future where a simple tool may help predict a firm’s future injury experience – and help to focus health and safety efforts.
Research findings from CARWH conference now online
Workplace representatives, policy-makers and injured worker representatives shared the audience with researchers and students at the Canadian Association for Research on Work and Health (CARWH) conference held in Toronto in May.
Evidence summary shows what works in treating neck pain
Clinicians have tried various approaches to help workers with neck pain - but some have been proven ineffective in research.
Grant Round-up
Scientists typically need two key components to carry out research: a well-grounded research proposal and strong financial support. Recently several projects received funding awards from national and provincial agencies. Here is a scan of what’s recently been given the green light.
INFOCUS: New Canadian guideline released on opioid use for chronic non-cancer pain
A new evidence-based Canadian Guideline for Safe and Effective Use of Opioids for Chronic Non-cancer pain was released in May.
What researchers mean by ... mean, median and mode
Find out what these terms really mean in the latest WRMB column.
IWH News
At Work 60 (Spring 2010)
Co-workers play an important, but sometimes "invisible" role in RTW
A new study suggests co-workers may have some important insights about how best to help injured workers get back to, and stay on, the job.
Shift work and health: What is the research telling us?
The Institute for Work & Health has reviewed the research and called on experts to get the latest word on what we know - and don't know - about the effects of shift work on employee health.
Leading work-health researchers to attend Toronto conference
A unique work-health conference that will bring together stakeholders and researchers from across Canada will be held in Toronto on May 28 and 29.
Picture this: Using visual symbols to identify MSD hazards
Institute for Work & Health researchers are playing a role in developing novel pictograms that convey both musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) hazards and controls in different sectors.
At issue: Comparing the costs of workers' compensation in California and Canada
A new Issue Briefing examines workers' compensation costs in Canada and in the state of California. The briefing shows that the administrative costs of the workers' compensation system in California are much highter than in Canada.
Research noted at Legislative Assembly of Ontario
A study that has been examining potential explanations for the increase in long-duration claims was noted in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
What researchers mean by… data linkage
Connecting an individual person's information from at least two sources together for a specific purpose is called data linkage.
IWH News
At Work 59 (Winter 2010)
Easy-to-use tool measures benefits and costs of OHS initiatives
The Institute for Work & Health introduces the Health & Safety Smart Planner -- a new, user-friendly tool that is designed to help workplaces understand the full benefits and costs of occupational health and safety programs and interventions.
OHS education and training promotes positive worker practices
A systematic review from IWH confirms that education and training lead to safer practices among workers. However, on their own, they might not reduce work-related injuries and illnesses.
Solving the "problem" of OHS in small business
Solutions to the "problem" of health and safety in small business are slow in coming. At the 2009 Alf Nachemson Memorial Lecture, Dr. Joan Eakin drew upon her years of research to help explain why.
What researchers mean by… retrospective vs. prospective studies
Put simply, retrospective studies look back. Prospective studies look forward. But the differences go beyond that.
IWH News
- IWH announces board appointments
- IWH names new associate scientist
- Measurement workshop coming in March
In Focus: Exploring complex issues to find return-to-work answers
Recent studies from the Institute for Work & Health highlight potentially important practices for ensuring the successful return to work of injured employees.
