Plain-language summaries
Institute for Work & Health (IWH) plain-language summaries condense research findings in various formats. At Work articles explain study results with comments from the study leads. Research Highlights summarize journal articles in easy-to-read, digest formats. Sharing Best Evidence summaries highlight findings from systematic reviews and other types of reviews conducted or led by IWH researchers. Issue Briefings discuss key research findings from IWH or elsewhere on topics that are of particular interest to policy-makers.
At Work article
Experience rating focuses on post-injury practices, IWH study suggests
Experience rating can lead to unintended consequences if emphasis on prevention isn’t front-and-centre, says new research from the Institute for Work & Health.
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At Work article
Getting back on the horse: Return to work has beneficial effect on health
Returning to work after an injury is good for people, both physically and mentally, according to a new systematic review.
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At Work article
Research 101: Disseminating findings
In this series, we are taking you behind the scenes of a research project at the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), from start to finish.
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At Work article
The impact of the recession on workers’ compensation claims
The recent recession resulted in a substantial decline in the number of workers’ compensation claims, a decline much greater than the reduction in hours of work, according to the latest Issue Briefing from the Institute for Work & Health.
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At Work article
What’s next for RAACWI?
Funding for the Research Action Alliance on the Consequences of Work Injury ended this spring, but that didn’t stop the group from making plans for the future. First comes funding, then comes expansion?
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Issue Briefing
The Canadian recession and the compensation of work-related injury and illness
What happened to workers' compensation claim rates in Canada during the 2008-2009 recession? This Issue Briefing looks at the research and confirms that, relative to the long-term trend of declining claim rates in North America, the frequency of workers' compensation claims per hours worked tends to go down during recessions.
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At Work article
Hot off the presses...and into the hands of practitioners
Getting new and updated Institute for Work & Health tools to practitioners is paramount, and this season the Institute was full steam ahead.
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At Work article
Reducing presenteeism through workplace health promotion programs
Workplace health promotion programs are a strategy adopted by employers to address presenteeism and on-the-job performance. But are these programs effective? A recent review of the evidence suggests some are, and points to program components that help to make them successful.
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At Work article
Message from the president: Listening to stakeholders about research priorities
The following message is from Institute for Work & Health President Dr. Cameron Mustard, commenting on the Institute’s consultation last fall about research priorities.
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At Work article
Fast but finite: Complementary and alternative therapies
A review led by a scientist from the Institute for Work & Health investigated the effectiveness of alternative therapies for back and neck pain and found that the benefits are immediate, but not lasting.
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At Work article
Driven by data: The promising impact of research on policy
In illustrating how research at California’s RAND Corporation helped to reform policy, Dr. Robert Reville, speaking at the annual Nachemson lecture, brought an important take-away message north of the 49th parallel: Research and policy analysis can improve workers’ compensation policy in many ways.
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At Work article
Increasing psychological demands elevate risk of depression
New, policy-relevant research from the Institute for Work & Health on Canadian workers finds that increases in job demands can increase the risk of depression.
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At Work article
IWH research helps shape new work integration initiative
In November 2010, Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board introduced the new Work Reintegration Program. Many of its features address problems with the old vocational rehabilitation program that were described by Institute for Work & Health research.
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At Work article
Investigating temporary employment in Canada
Sally (a pseudonym) was laid off from her administrative position at a London, Ontario-based investment firm in November of 2008. Although she had several years of experience in her field, she was unable to find a permanent full-time job. Instead, she found temporary reception work.
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At Work article
Change is possible: Ontario youth WSIB claim 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.
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At Work article
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.
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At Work article
A tough nut to crack: Understanding 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.
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At Work article
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.
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At Work article
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.
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Sharing Best Evidence
Effectiveness of interventions to address depression in the workplace
Little information is available on the effectiveness of workplace programs to target depression. This systematic review set out to provide such information. It searched the research literature to look for interventions for managing depression in the workplace that were effective from an employer's point of view.
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