Persistent pain: its role in work absence, health, and employment after a disabling work-related injury

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Online

Kathleen Dobson
Institute for Work & Health

Among working-aged adults, one of every six injuries that need medical attention are caused by work exposures, with over a third of these injuries leading to periods of work absence or disability. Chronic or persistent pain may occur after an injury. It is currently unclear how many workers experience persistent pain and how it impacts worker health and function, return to work and disability benefit expenditures. In this presentation, Dr. Kathleen Dobson shares findings from a study of Ontario workers experiencing a work-related injury or illness focusing on the prevalence of persistent pain, and its association with return-to-work outcomes.

About presenter

Dr. Kathleen Dobson is an associate scientist at the Institute for Work & Health. Dobson holds a PhD in epidemiology from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and an MSc in health research methodology from McMaster University. Her current research explores how health impacts labour force participation and employment. Her current areas of focus are the economic consequences of mental illness, and how experiencing work-related injuries impacts health and employment outcomes.

About IWH Speaker Series

The IWH Speaker Series brings you the latest findings from work and health researchers from the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) and beyond. For those unable to attend, the recorded webinar of most presentations in the IWH Speaker Series are made available on its web page within a week of the event.