Dr. Kathleen Dobson
Dr. Kathleen Dobson is an associate scientist at the Institute for Work & Health. She is also assistant professor in the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and lecturer in the Department of Economics. She 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.
Dobson’s research aims to understand how Canadians who experience mental health challenges participate in the labour force. Her methodological expertise focuses on longitudinal methods in complex observational data sources.
Prior to Dobson’s current position, she was a research associate at the Institute for Work & Health, where her research projects focused on determining trajectories of health behaviours, such as alcohol use and cigarette smoking, among working Canadians and exploring how these trajectories are influenced by work environments.
As an epidemiological scientist, I aim to answer questions that are of interest to scientists, policy-makers and, most importantly, Canadians from all walks of life. I can’t think of more important areas of study than work and health. They touch every aspect of our lives, from how we spend our days, to where we live, and to who we have in our social support networks. My research to date has been focused on the relationship between work and health over decades-long timelines, with long-term findings that offer valuable evidence to inform equitable health and employment policy.– Kathleen Dobson
Projects
- First Responder Mental Health Treatment Services: Formative evaluation of a pilot program. Funded by Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Ongoing.
- Implementation of a comprehensive accommodation and reintegration program in a police service. Funded by Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Ongoing.
- TIE-C-MI: Trajectories of Income and Employment of Canadians with Mental Illness. Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Ongoing. (PI on the project)
- Using decision-tree machine learning to identify worker movement typologies . Ongoing.
Publications
- Dobson KG , Chien YC, Carnide N, Furlan AD, Smith PM, Mustard C. Uncovering mental health profiles of workers with a physically disabling injury or illness using the complete state mental health framework. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. 2024 epub ahead of print. doi:10.1007/s10926-024-10254-3.
- Dobson KG , Gignac MA, Tucker L, Jetha A. Double trouble! Do workplace supports mitigate lost productivity for young workers with both severe rheumatic diseases and depressive symptoms?. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. 2024 epub ahead of print. doi:10.1007/s10926-024-10217-8.
- Mustard C, Orchard C, Dobson KG , Carnide N, Smith PM. The adequacy of workplace accommodation and the incidence of permanent employment separations after a disabling work injury or illness. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health. 2024;50(3):208-217. doi:10.5271/sjweh.4149.
- Dobson KG , Gignac MA, Mustard C. The working life expectancy of American adults experiencing depression. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 2024;59(6):1013–1027. doi:10.1007/s00127-023-02547-4.
- Mustard C, Orchard C, Dobson KG , Carnide N, Smith PM. An observational study of pain severity, cannabis use, and benefit expenditures in work disability. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 2024;115(1):157-167. doi:10.17269/s41997-023-00821-1.
Speaker Series presentations
- The mental health of injured workers with a physically disabling injury. IWH Speaker Series. January 28, 2025.
- The working life expectancy of Americans experiencing depression. IWH Speaker Series. November 14, 2023.
- Persistent pain: its role in work absence, health, and employment after a disabling work-related injury . IWH Speaker Series. November 15, 2022.
- Uncovering the impact of a depressive episode on employment earnings of Canadian workers. IWH Speaker Series. November 9, 2021.
- Trends in depression and anxiety among Canadian labour force participants (2000-2016). IWH Speaker Series. October 22, 2019.
Interviews and articles
- Mental health comorbidities affect workers' recovery from back pain: report. Human Resources Director Canada. December 6, 2023. Available from: https://www.hcamag.com/ca/specialization/workplace-health-and-safety/mental-health-comorbidities-affect-workers-recovery-from-back-pain-report/469163
- What is the impact of depression on years of employment among working-age adults?. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 113, Summer 2023.
- One in four young adults in the U.S. have poor mental health—and the lowest earnings among their peers. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 111, Winter 2023.
- Union calls for national task force to fight violence against transport workers. Canadian HR Reporter. January 27, 2023. Available from: https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/safety/union-calls-for-national-task-force-to-fight-violence-against-transport-workers/373233
- Study finds long-term pain an issue for many injured workers. Safety+Health. November 14, 2022. Available from: https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/23236-study-finds-long-term-pain-an-issue-for-many-injured-workers