ORCID Profile
0000-0001-8286-4563
Current Organisations
Monash University
,
Institute for Work and Health
,
University of Toronto
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety | Public Health and Health Services | Epidemiology | Population Trends and Policies | Industrial and Organisational Psychology | Psychology | Mental Health | Social Program Evaluation |
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Occupational Health | Social Structure and Health | Health Related to Ageing | Mental health | Mental Health | Health status (e.g. indicators of “well-being”) | Occupational health (excl. economic development aspects) | Health Policy Evaluation
Related Links
Publications
The Impact of Changes in Job Strain and Its Components on the Risk of Depression
Publisher: American Public Health Association
Date: 02-2012
Abstract: Objectives. We assessed the impact of changes in dimensions of the psychosocial work environment on risk of depression in a longitudinal cohort of Canadian workers who were free of depression when work conditions were initially reported. Methods. Using a s le (n = 3735) from the Canadian National Population Health Survey, we examined the effects of changes in job control, psychological demands, and social support over a 2-year period on subsequent depression. We adjusted models for a number of covariates, including personal history of depression. Results. Respondents with increased psychological demands were more likely to have depression over the following 2 years (odds ratio = 2.36 95% confidence interval = 1.14, 4.88). This risk remained statistically significant after adjustment for age, gender, marital status, presence of children, level of education, chronic health conditions, subclinical depression when work conditions were initially assessed, family history of depression, and personal history of depression. Conclusions. These results demonstrate that changes in psychological demands have a stronger influence than changes in job control on the onset of depression, highlighting the importance of not assuming an interaction between these 2 components of job strain when assessing health outcomes.
Impact of persistent pain symptoms on work absence, health status and employment 18 months following disabling work-related injury or illness
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 28-07-2022
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2022-108383
Abstract: While most in iduals physically injured at work will make a complete medical recovery, a portion of workers will experience persistent pain following their injury. This study estimated persistent pain prevalence and its association with health and return-to-work outcomes 18 months following the incidence of a disabling work-related injury. We studied 1131 workers disabled by a work-related injury who were recruited from a s ling frame of disability benefit claimants in Ontario, Canada. Work injuries and claim benefits characteristics from administrative data were linked with measures of work status, pain symptoms, and physical and mental health obtained from telephone interviews completed 18 months postinjury. Associations of persistent pain symptoms with health and employment outcomes 18 months postinjury were estimated using multinomial and linear regression. Roughly 30% of participants reported no pain symptoms in the previous 4 weeks, 45% reported mild pain symptoms and 25% reported severe pain symptoms accompanied by substantial functional impairment. Workers with severe pain symptoms were more likely to not be currently working at 18 months (33%) vs those without pain symptoms (16%), and had poorer self-reported physical and mental health. Workers with severe pain symptoms had higher probabilities of benefit durations of 12–18 months (OR=9.35), higher lost-earnings costs (~47.7% higher) and higher healthcare expenditure costs at 18 months (~125.9% higher) compared with those with no pain symptoms. Persistent pain symptom prevalence 18 months postinjury is high among workers disabled by a work-related injury and associated with substantial functional impairment and longer wage replacement benefit duration.
Sex and Gender Differences in Occupational Hazard Exposures: a Scoping Review of the Recent Literature
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-11-2021
Access to Showers and Change Rooms at Work Associated With Active Commuting Among Older Workers: Findings From a National Population Survey
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 30-01-2018
Abstract: Access to workplace showers and change rooms (WS/CR) has been found to be associated with active commuting (AC). Yet it is unclear whether this extends to older workers. We examined the association between WS/CR and AC (walking, cycling) comparing older and younger workers. Data came from 53,294 respondents to the 2007-2008 Canadian Community Health Survey. Associations between WS/CR and walking and cycling were analyzed for main effects and by age and sex using logistic regression. Compared with younger ages, workers 50 to 75 years old were more likely to cycle to work if WS/CR were available (odds ratio [OR] = 1.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.13, 2.58]), though the overall and sex-related associations between WS/CR and AC were nonsignificant. WS/CR may be a promising strategy to promote AC particularly among older workers. With large numbers of middle- and older-aged adults working longer, the implications of AC for sustaining good health may be considerable.
Comparing the risk factors associated with serious versus and less serious work-related injuries in ontario between 1991 and 2006
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-08-2011
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.21000
Abstract: The objective of this study was to examine and compare the demographic and labor market risks for more serious and less serious work-related injuries and illnesses. Secondary analysis of accepted workers' compensation claims in Ontario, combined with labor force estimates for the period 1991 to 2006. Serious injuries and illnesses were claims resulting in wage replacement. Less serious injuries and illnesses were claims only requiring health care. Regression models examined the relationship between demographic and labor market characteristics (age, gender, industry, job tenure, and unemployment) and claim type. Relative risk estimates for serious and less serious claims were not concordant across age, gender and industry employment groups. For ex le, while the mining and utilities and the construction industry had an increased probability of reporting NLTCs, they had a decreased probability of reporting LTCs. The risk for serious and less serious work-related injury and illness claims differ by demographic and labor market groups. The use of composite measures that combine wage-replacement and health care only claims should be considered when using compensation data for surveillance and primary prevention targeting strategies.
Major Depressive Episodes and Employment Earnings Trajectories over the Following Decade among Working-aged Canadian Men and Women
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2021
Assessing the psychometric properties of the Guarding Minds @ Work questionnaire recommended in the Canadian Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-10-2021
Association between dimensions of the psychosocial and physical work environment and latent smoking trajectories: a 16-year cohort study of the Canadian workforce
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 29-09-2018
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2018-105138
Abstract: This study aimed to determine the number of latent smoking trajectories among Canadians employed in the workforce over a 16-year period, and if latent trajectories in dimensions of the physical and psychosocial work environment were associated with specific smoking trajectories. We studied 5461 employed adults from the longitudinal Canadian National Population Health Survey. Daily cigarette consumption was measured biannually from 1994 to 2010. Work environment factors (skill discretion, decision authority, psychological demands, job insecurity, physical exertion and workplace social support) were measured in 1994 and then from 2000 to 2010 using an abbreviated form of the Job Content Questionnaire. Smoking and work environment trajectories were derived using group-based trajectory modelling. Associations between work environment trajectory classes and smoking trajectory classes were estimated using multinomial logistic regression. Four latent smoking trajectories were seen: non-smokers ceasing smokers (consuming ~14 cigarettes/day in 1994 and 0 in 2008–2010) smokers (consuming ~7 cigarettes/day between 1994 and 2010) and heavy smokers (consuming ~22 cigarettes/day in 1994 and ~14 in 2010). Lower skill discretion, high psychological demands, high physical exertion and low social support trajectories were associated with membership in the heavy smoking trajectory compared with the non-smoking trajectory. Low decision authority, high psychological demands and high physical exertion trajectories were associated with membership in the ceasing compared with the non-smoking trajectory. Certain physical and psychosocial work environment trajectories were associated with heavy and ceasing smoking behaviours over a 16-year period. The role of the work environment should be further considered in smoking cessation programmes.
A Prospective Cohort Study of the Impact of Return-to-Work Coordinators in Getting Injured Workers Back on the Job
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-07-2017
DOI: 10.1007/S10926-017-9719-9
Abstract: Purpose To assess the impact of workplace-based return-to-work (RTW) Coordinators' interpersonal and functional activities on RTW outcomes. Methods Multivariable logistic regression analyses of cross-sectional and longitudinal survey responses of 632 injured workers with at least 10 days of work absence in Victoria, Australia, adjusting for demographic and other workplace factors. Outcome was being back at work for at least 1 month, measured at both baseline and 6 month follow-up survey. Participant responses to stressfulness of Coordinator interactions were dichotomised into good and poor and evaluated as a proxy for Coordinators' interpersonal activities, while having a RTW plan was evaluated as a proxy for functional activities. Results At baseline, RTW plans doubled the odds of RTW (OR 2.02 95% CI 1.40-2.90) and attenuated the impact of good Coordinator interactions (1.14 0.77-1.70). At 6-month follow-up, the opposite was observed: good interactions nearly doubled odds of RTW (1.90 1.22-2.95) while RTW plans were non-significant (1.02 0.68-1.54). Conclusions Differences between when the two Coordinator activities were effective may be due to the nature of claimants who RTW in each survey period. Length of shorter-duration claims are influenced by injury related factors, while psychosocial factors tend to be more important for longer-duration claims. Such factors may determine whether a claimant is more likely to respond to Coordinators' functional or interpersonal activities. The findings have important implications for increasing Coordinator effectiveness.
The Power of a Photograph to Capture Many Truths in Occupational Health
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 30-01-2019
Fragmentation in the future of work: A horizon scan examining the impact of the changing nature of work on workers experiencing vulnerability
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-06-2021
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.23262
Abstract: The future of work is characterized by changes that could disrupt all aspects of the nature and availability of work. Our study aims to understand how the future of work could result in conditions, which contribute to vulnerability for different groups of workers. A horizon scan was conducted to systematically identify and synthesize erse sources of evidence, including academic and gray literature and resources shared over social media. Evidence was synthesized, and trend categories were developed through iterative discussions among the research team. Nine trend categories were uncovered, which included the digital transformation of the economy, artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning‐enhanced automation, AI‐enabled human resource management systems, skill requirements for the future of work globalization 4.0, climate change and the green economy, Gen Zs and the work environment populism and the future of work, and external shocks to accelerate the changing nature of work. The scan highlighted that some groups of workers may be more likely to experience conditions that contribute to vulnerability, including greater exposure to job displacement or wage depression. The future of work could also create opportunities for labor market engagement. The future of work represents an emerging public health concern. Exclusion from the future of work has the potential to widen existing social and health inequities. Thus, tailored supports that are resilient to changes in the nature and availability of work are required for workers facing vulnerability.
Unwanted sexual advances at work: Variations by employment arrangement in a sample of working Australians
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2009
DOI: 10.1111/J.1753-6405.2009.00366.X
Abstract: We tested the hypothesis that the risk of experiencing unwanted sexual advances at work (UWSA) is greater for precariously-employed workers in comparison to those in permanent or continuing employment. A cross-sectional population-based telephone survey was conducted in Victoria (66% response rate, N=1,101). Employment arrangements were analysed using eight differentiated categories, as well as a four-category collapsed measure to address small cell sizes. Self-report of unwanted sexual advances at work was modelled using multiple logistic regression in relation to employment arrangement, controlling for gender, age, and occupational skill level. Forty-seven respondents reported UWSA in our s le (4.3%), mainly among women (37 of 47). Risk of UWSA was higher for younger respondents, but did not vary significantly by occupational skill level or education. In comparison to Permanent Full-Time, three employment arrangements were strongly associated with UWSA after adjustment for age, gender, and occupational skill level: Casual Full-Time OR = 7.2 (95% Confidence Interval 1.7-30.2) Fixed-Term Contract OR = 11.4 (95% CI 3.4-38.8) and Own-Account Self-Employed OR = 3.8 (95% CI 1.2-11.7). In analyses of females only, the magnitude of these associations was further increased. Respondents employed in precarious arrangements were more likely to report being exposed to UWSA, even after adjustment for age and gender. Greater protections from UWSA are likely needed for precariously employed workers.
Association Between the Decline in Workers’ Compensation Claims and Workforce Composition and Job Characteristics in Ontario, Canada
Publisher: American Public Health Association
Date: 03-2007
Abstract: We examined associations between workforce demographics and job characteristics, grouped by industrial sector, and declines in workers’ compensation claim rates in Ontario, Canada, between 1990 and 2003. Gender, age, occupation, and job tenure were predictors for claim rates in 12 industrial sectors. The decline in claims was significantly associated with a decline in the proportion of employment in occupations with high physical demands. These findings should generate interest in economic incentives and regulatory policies designed to encourage investment in safer production processes.
Examining Risk of Workplace Violence in Canada: A Sex/Gender-Based Analysis
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 17-07-2018
Abstract: Workplace violence (WPV) is a serious issue, resulting in significant negative health outcomes. Understanding sex/gender differences in risk of WPV has important implications for primary prevention activities. Utilizing two waves of the Canadian General Social Survey on Victimization (N = 27,643), we examined the likelihood of WPV, and sub-categories of WPV, for women relative to men. Using a sex/gender analytical approach, a series of logistic regression models examined how the associations between being a woman and each of the outcomes changed upon adjustment for work and socio-demographic characteristics. After adjustment for work hours, women were at more than twice the risk of WPV compared to men (odds ratio = 2.12, 95% confidence interval 1.52-2.95). Adjustment for work characteristics attenuated, but did not eliminate this risk. Differences in associations were observed across sub-categories of violence, with adjustment for work characteristics attenuating sex/gender differences in physical WPV, but having minimal impact on sex/gender differences in sexual WPV. Work characteristics explain a substantial proportion of the sex/gender differences in risk of physical WPV. However, even after adjustment for work characteristics, women still showed an elevated risk relative to men for almost all types of violence (as defined by nature of the violence, sex of the perpetrator, and relationship to the perpetrator) examined in this study. Future investigations should examine why these differences between women and men remain, even within similar occupational contexts.
The prevalence of over-qualification and its association with health status among occupationally active new immigrants to Canada
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-2010
DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2010.502591
Abstract: Occupational over-qualification refers to a situation where an in idual's occupational status is lower than would be expected by their training, skills, or experience. The objective of this study is to examine the prevalence of three dimensions of over-qualification among a cohort of new immigrants to Canada, and the associations between each dimension of over-qualification with changes in general and mental health status over a four-year period. This study utilized data from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada. For the purpose of this study, we restricted our s le to those employed respondents who worked before coming to Canada, were planning on working after immigration, were in good health at baseline and were interviewed at 4 years post-arrival (N=2685). We defined three measures of over-qualification based on occupational attainment at 4 years relative to: level of education, previous work experience, and occupational expectation upon arrival in Canada. Regression models explored the associations between each dimension of over-qualification and change in self-reported general and mental health adjusting for a variety of immigrants' personal and immigration-related characteristics. Four years after arriving in Canada, 51.6% of immigrants were overqualified for their jobs based on their education levels, with a lesser extent overqualified based on experience (44.4%) or expectations (42.8%). Respondents experiencing any dimension of over-qualification were more likely to report a decline in mental, but not general, health. These relationships were only mildly attenuated after adjustment for other possible confounding variables. Inclusion of job satisfaction and perceptions of employment situation mediated these relationships to a large extent suggesting they are primary pathways through which over-qualification influences mental health. On average, occupationally active immigrants who were overqualified for their attained occupations in Canada had poorer mental health status than other immigrants 4 years after arrival in Canada. Effective policies and services that support opportunities for immigrants to use their skills appropriately in the Canadian labor market have important labor, social- and health-related consequences.
The Relationship Between Chronic Conditions and Work-Related Injuries and Repetitive Strain Injuries in Canada
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 07-2012
Differential risk of employment in more physically demanding jobs among a recent cohort of immigrants to Canada
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 08-2009
Abstract: To examine the proportion of a recent cohort of immigrants to Canada who were working in jobs that were more physically demanding than those in which they worked before migration to Canada. Longitudinal cohort of immigrants to Canada with occupational position measured before and 2 and 4 years after arrival in Canada. Respondents to Statistics Canada's Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC). The LSIC surveyed a representative s le of immigrants, aged 15 and older, who arrived in Canada between November 2000 and December 2001. For the purpose of this study, the s le was restricted to respondents who had worked before immigrating and were working when re-interviewed 2 (n = 4331) or 4 (n = 4238) years after arrival in Canada. Employment in an occupation with higher physical demands than that employed in before arrival in Canada. Respondents with less proficiency at speaking English and family class or refugee applicants were the most likely to be employed in occupations with higher physical demands both 2 and 4 years after arrival in Canada. Employment in a more physically demanding occupation may pose particular risks of workplace injury. In this s le of immigrants to Canada, respondents with poorer English skills and refugees (factors that may increase this risk) were more likely to be employed in more physically demanding occupations. Greater attention to the prevention of workplace injuries among particular groups of new immigrants to Canada is required.
Why Are Workplace Social Support Programs Not Improving the Mental Health of Canadian Correctional Officers? An Examination of the Theoretical Concepts Underpinning Support
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 06-03-2021
Abstract: In Canada, public safety personnel, including correctional officers, experience high rates of mental health problems. Correctional officers’ occupational stress has been characterized as insidious and chronic due to multiple and unpredictable occupational risk factors such as violence, unsupportive colleagues and management, poor prison conditions, and shift work. Given the increased risk of adverse mental health outcomes associated with operational stressors, organizational programs have been developed to provide correctional officers with support to promote mental well-being and to provide mental health interventions that incorporate recovery and reduction in relapse risk. This paper uses two theories, the Job Demand Control Support (JDCS) Model and Social Ecological Model (SEM), to explore why workplace social support programs may not been successful in terms of uptake or effectiveness among correctional officers in Canada. We suggest that structural policy changes implemented in the past 15 years have had unintentional impacts on working conditions that increase correctional officer workload and decrease tangible resources to deal with an increasingly complex prison population. Notably, we believe interpersonal support programs may only have limited success if implemented without addressing the multilevel factors creating conditions of job strain.
What is needed to make research on the psychosocial work environment and health more meaningful? Reflections and missed opportunities in IPD debates
Publisher: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
Date: 19-08-2015
DOI: 10.5271/SJWEH.3519
Comparison of two measures of work functioning in a population of claimants with physical and psychological injuries
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-02-2017
The recovery patterns of back pain among workers with compensated occupational back injuries
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 08-2007
Examining the decline in lost-time claim rates across age groups in Ontario between 1991 and 2007
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 11-03-2011
Abstract: Given the tendency for young people to show elevated work injury rates, this study sought to examine trends in young worker and adult compensation claim rates in a Canadian province. Workers' compensation records and labour force survey data from 1991 to 2007 were used to compute claim rates by age group. To examine the contribution of work-related factors to claim rates by age group, multivariate analyses included industry and job tenure. Descriptive analysis showed that age groups had different rates of declines over the time period. Multivariate analyses showed that claim rate declines for older adults were greatest prior to 1999. Young workers showed the largest declines after 1999. There was no indication that changes in industry or job tenure accounted for the trends in claim rates among older or younger workers. This study is one of the first to show a convergence in youth and adult workers' compensation claims in a North American jurisdiction. Ruling out work-related factors increases the possibility that systemic interventions may have contributed to the convergence. This provides policy makers in occupational health and safety with empirical data to guide targeting of resources.
The Interplay Between Supervisor Safety Support and Occupational Health and Safety Vulnerability on Work Injury
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2019
Examining the Relationship Between Psychosocial Working Conditions, Physical Work Demands, and Leisure Time Physical Activity in Canada
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 10-2011
Measurement properties of the QuickDASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) outcome measure and cross-cultural adaptations of the QuickDASH: a systematic review
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-03-2013
DOI: 10.1007/S11136-013-0362-4
Abstract: To identify and synthesize evidence for the measurement properties of the QuickDASH, a shortened version of the 30-item DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) instrument. This systematic review used a best evidence synthesis approach to critically appraise the measurement properties [using COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN)] of the QuickDASH and cross-cultural adaptations. A standard search strategy was conducted between 2005 (year of first publication of QuickDASH) and March 2011 in MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL. The search identified 14 studies to include in the best evidence synthesis of the QuickDASH. A further 11 studies were identified on eight cross-cultural adaptation versions. Many measurement properties of the QuickDASH have been evaluated in multiple studies and across most of the measurement properties. The best evidence synthesis of the QuickDASH English version suggests that this tool is performing well with strong positive evidence for reliability and validity (hypothesis testing), and moderate positive evidence for structural validity testing. Strong negative evidence was found for responsiveness due to lower correlations with global estimates of change. Information about the measurement properties of the cross-cultural adaptation versions is still lacking, or the available information is of poor overall methodological quality.
Mental health service use among Canadian veterans within the first 5 years following service: methodological considerations for comparisons with the general population
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 25-05-2023
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2022-108772
Abstract: Previous research comparing veteran and civilian mental health (MH) outcomes often assumes stable rates of MH service use over time and relies on standardisation or restriction to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics. We aimed to explore the stability of MH service use in the first 5 years following release from the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and to demonstrate the impact of using increasingly stringent matching criteria on effect estimates when comparing veterans with civilians, using incident outpatient MH encounters as an ex le. We used administrative healthcare data from veterans and civilians residing in Ontario, Canada to create three hard-matched civilian cohorts: (1) age and sex (2) age, sex and region of residence and (3) age, sex, region of residence and median neighbourhood income quintile, while excluding civilians with a history of long-term care or rehabilitation stay or receipt of disability/income support payments. Extended Cox models were used to estimate time-dependent HRs. Across all cohorts, time-dependent analyses suggested that veterans had a significantly higher hazard of an outpatient MH encounter within the first 3 years of follow-up than civilians, but differences were attenuated in years 4–5. More stringent matching decreased baseline differences in unmatched variables and shifted the effect estimates, while sex-stratified analyses revealed stronger effects among women compared with men. This methods-focused study demonstrates the implications of several study design decisions that should be considered when conducting comparative veteran and civilian health research.
RE: CHANGES IN PERCEIVED JOB STRAIN AND THE RISK OF MAJOR DEPRESSION: RESULTS FROM A POPULATION-BASED LONGITUDINAL STUDY
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 06-2009
DOI: 10.1093/AJE/KWP147
An integrated workplace mental health intervention in a policing context: Protocol for a cluster randomised control trial.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-02-2016
A response to Dr Michael Oakes: advancing research into SES mechanisms that affect health
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 03-06-2005
DOI: 10.1093/IJE/DYI118
Mortality following unemployment in Canada, 1991–2001
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-05-2013
The Effect of Self-Efficacy on Return-to-Work Outcomes for Workers with Psychological or Upper-Body Musculoskeletal Injuries: A Review of the Literature
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-03-2017
DOI: 10.1007/S10926-017-9697-Y
Abstract: Purpose Work absence can result in substantial losses to the economy and workers. As a result, identifying modifiable factors associated with return-to-work (RTW) following an injury or illness is the focus of many empirical investigations. Self-efficacy, the belief about one's ability to undertake behaviours to achieve desired goals, has been identified as an important factor in RTW for injured workers. This paper systematically reviewed the literature on the association between self-efficacy and RTW outcomes for workers with an upper-body musculoskeletal injury or psychological injury. Methods A systematic search was conducted across five databases using two main search concepts- 'self-efficacy' and 'RTW'. After removing duplicates, our search strategy identified 836 studies, which were screened for relevance using titles and abstracts. Results A two stage screening process reduced the study pool to six studies using psychological injury cohorts and three using upper-body musculoskeletal (UB-MSK) cohorts. Eight cohorts from seven prospective cohort studies and one s le from a randomised control trial (RCT) were subjected to a risk of bias assessment. Higher levels of self-efficacy appeared to have a consistent and positive association with RTW across return-to-work status and work absence outcomes, injury type and follow-up periods. Effect ratios ranged from 1.00 to 5.26 indicating a potentially large impact of self-efficacy on RTW outcomes. The relationship between self-efficacy and RTW strengthened as the domain of self-efficacy became more specific to RTW and job behaviours. Studies assessing workers with psychological injuries were of a lower quality compared to those assessing workers with UB-MSK injuries. Conclusions Higher self-efficacy had consistent positive associations with RTW outcomes. Further empirical research should identify the determinants of self-efficacy, and explore the processes by which higher self-efficacy improves RTW outcomes.
Measuring gender when you don’t have a gender measure: constructing a gender index using survey data
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-05-2016
Job strain, health behaviours and heart disease
Publisher: CMA Joule Inc.
Date: 30-09-2013
Young people and work injuries: an examination of jurisdictional variation within Canada
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 04-2006
The Association between Mental Health Symptoms and Quality and Safety of Patient Care before and during COVID-19 among Canadian Nurses
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 07-02-2022
DOI: 10.3390/HEALTHCARE10020314
Abstract: (1) Background: While the association between nurse mental health and quality and safety of patient care delivery was well documented pre-pandemic, fewer research studies have examined this relationship in the context of COVID-19. This study examines the impact of various mental health symptoms experienced by nurses on quality and safety before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2) Methods: A secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data from 4729 and 3585 nurses in one Canadian province between December 2019 and June-July 2020 was conducted. Data were analyzed using between group difference tests and logistic regression (3) Results: Compared to pre-COVID-19, during COVID-19 nurses reported a higher safety grade, a greater likelihood of recommending their units for care and lower quality of nursing care. Most mental health symptoms were higher during COVID-19 and higher levels of mental health symptoms were correlated with lower ratings of quality and safety both pre- and during COVID-19 (4) Conclusion: Mental health symptoms have implications for nurses’ quality and safety of patient care delivery, with the association between mental health symptoms and quality and safety following a dose–response relationship before and during COVID-19. These findings suggest that it is worthwhile for nurse mental health symptoms to be included as hospital level performance metrics.
The relationship between job tenure and work disability absence among adults: A prospective study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2008
DOI: 10.1016/J.AAP.2007.07.007
Abstract: Little population-based, prospective research has been conducted to examine the demographic and work-related determinants of occupational injury or illness. This study examined the relative contribution of sociodemographic characteristics and work factors to the likelihood of a work-related disability or illness. In a representative s le of adult Canadians 25-70 years old from a prospective survey, a hazard modelling approach of time to work disability absence from the start of a new job was estimated with the following predictors: age, gender, type of job (manual, non-manual, and mixed), hours worked, highest education achieved, multiple concurrent job, job tenure, school activity, union membership and living in a rural or urban area. Workers holding manual or mixed jobs and having a low education level were factors independently associated with the increased likelihood of a work disability absence. Gender was not independently associated with work disability absences. A strong job tenure gradient in the unadjusted work disability absence rates was virtually eliminated when controlling for demographic/in idual and other work factors. In multivariate analyses, work-related factors remained predictors of work disability absence whereas in idual characteristics such as gender did not. The exception was workers with less education who appeared to be particularly vulnerable, even after controlling of physical demands on the job. This may be due to inadequate job training or increased hazard exposure even in the same broad job category.
The Prevalence and Incidence of Work Absenteeism Involving Neck Pain
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2009
DOI: 10.1016/J.JMPT.2008.11.022
Abstract: Cohort study. To measure the prevalence and incidence of work absenteeism involving neck pain in a cohort of claimants to the Ontario Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB). According to workers' compensation statistics, neck pain accounts for a small proportion of lost-time claims. However, these statistics may be biased by an underenumeration of claimants with neck disorders. We studied all lost-time claimants to the Ontario WSIB in 1998 and used 2 methods to enumerate neck pain cases. We report the prevalence and incidence of neck pain using 2 denominators: (1) annual number of lost-time claimants and (2) an estimate of the Ontario working population covered by the WSIB. The estimated percentage of lost-time claimants with neck pain ranged from 2.8% (95% CI 2.5-3.3) using only codes specific for neck pain to 11.3% (95% CI 9.5-13.1) using a weighted estimate of codes capturing neck pain cases. The health care sector had the highest percentage of claims with neck pain. The annual incidence of neck pain among the Ontario working population ranged from 6 per 10,000 full-time equivalents (FTE) (95% CI 5-6) to 23 per 10,000 FTE (95% CI 20-27) depending on the codes used to capture neck pain. Male workers between the ages of 20 and 39 years were the most likely to experience an episode of work absenteeism involving neck pain. Neck pain is a common and burdensome problem for Ontario workers. Our study highlights the importance of properly capturing all neck pain cases when describing its prevalence and incidence.
An observational study of pain severity, cannabis use, and benefit expenditures in work disability
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-10-2023
The psychosocial work environment among educators during the COVID-19 pandemic
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 03-06-2022
Abstract: The education sector has been heavily impacted by COVID-19. While the impact on school-aged children has received much attention, less attention has focused on the experiences of educators. To compare various dimensions of the psychosocial work environment and health outcomes between educators engaged in online learning to those engaged in in-person learning in the Canadian province of Ontario. Responses from 5438 educators engaged in either online or in-person learning were collected between 23 November and 21 December 2020 three months after the start of the 2020/21 academic year in September 2020. Psychosocial outcomes included quantitative demands, work pace, predictability, role conflicts, and social support from supervisors and co-workers assessed using an abbreviated version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes included burnout and sleep troubles. Ordinary Least-Squares regression models examined adjusted mean differences in the levels of outcomes for respondents in in-person versus online learning, after adjustment for a variety of covariates. Compared to respondents engaged in in-person learning, respondents engaged in online learning reported less predictability, higher role conflicts and less support from supervisors and co-workers. Statistically significant differences in work pace, burnout and sleep troubles were also observed across learning modes, although these differences did not exceed previously suggested thresholds for minimum important differences. Important differences in the psychosocial work environment were observed between respondents engaged in in-person learning versus online learning. Addressing these differences is required, given the potential continued importance of online learning within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Associations of traffic noise with self-rated health and psychotropic medication use
Publisher: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
Date: 05-12-2013
DOI: 10.5271/SJWEH.3408
Abstract: Road traffic noise is a common environmental nuisance, which has been thought to increase the risk of many types of health problems. However, population-level evidence often remains scarce. This study examined whether road traffic noise is associated with self-rated health and use of psychotropic medication in a cohort of public sector employees. Data are from the Finnish Public Sector Study cohort. Geographical information system (GIS) was used to link modeled outdoor road traffic noise levels (L den) to residential addresses of 15 611 men and women with cross-sectional survey responses on self-rated health and register-based information on the use of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics. High trait anxiety scores were used to identify potentially vulnerable in iduals. The analyses were run with logistic regression models adjusting for in idual and area-level variables. All participants were blind to the aim of the study. Mean level of road traffic noise at participants' home addresses was 52 decibels (dB) (standard deviation 8.1). Noise level >60 dB versus ≤45 dB was associated with poor self-rated health in men [odds ratio (OR) 1.58, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.14-2.21]. Further stratification revealed that the association was evident only among men with high trait anxiety scores (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.28-3.89). No association was found with psychotropic medication use or among women. Exposure to road traffic noise was not associated with increased use of psychotropic medication, although it was associated with weakened self-rated health among men.
Differences in access to wage replacement benefits for absences due to work-related injury or illness in Canada
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2009
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.20683
Abstract: The objective of this article is to examine the factors associated with differences in access to income replacement benefits for workers experiencing a work-related injury or illness of 1-week or longer in the Canadian labor force. This study utilized data from the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics, a representative longitudinal survey conducted by Statistics Canada. A total of 3,352 work-related absences were identified. Logistic regression models examined factors at the in idual, occupational, and geographic level that were associated with the probability of receiving compensation. The probability of not receiving employer or workers' compensation benefits was higher among women, immigrants in their first 10 years in Canada, younger workers, respondents who were in their first year of a job, those who were not members of a union or collective bargaining agreement, and part-time workers. More research is required to understand why almost 50% of respondents with 1-week or longer work-related absences did not report receiving workers' compensation payments following their absence. More importantly, research is required to understand why particular groups of workers are more likely to be excluded from any type of compensation for lost earnings after a work-related injury and illness in Canada.
Workers’ Activity Profiles Associated With Predicted 10‐Year Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 19-07-2022
Abstract: There is a need to explore common activity patterns undertaken by workers and the association between these activity profiles and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study explored the number and type of distinct profiles of activity patterns among workers and the association between these profiles and predicted 10‐year risk for a first atherosclerotic CVD event. Distinct activity patterns from a cross‐section of workers’ accelerometer data were s led from Canadian Health Measures Survey participants (5 cycles, 2007–2017) and identified using hierarchical cluster analysis techniques. Covariates included accelerometer wear time, work factors, sociodemographic factors, clinical markers, and lifestyle variables. Associations between activity profiles and high atherosclerotic CVD risk % were estimated using robust Poisson regression models. Six distinct activity profiles were identified from 8909 workers. Compared with the “lowest activity” profile, in iduals in the “highest activity” and “moderate evening activity” profiles were at 42% lower risk (relative risk [RR], 0.58 95% CI, 0.47, 0.70) and 33% lower risk (RR, 0.67 95% CI, 0.44, 0.87) of predicted 10‐year atherosclerotic CVD risk of %, respectively. “Moderate activity” and “fluctuations of moderate activity” profiles were also associated with lower risk estimates, whereas the “high daytime activity” profile was not statistically different to the reference profile. Workers accumulating physical activity throughout the day and during recreational hours were found to have optimal CVD risk profiles. Workers accumulating physical activity only during daytime work hours were not associated with reduced CVD risk. Findings can inform alternative strategies to conferring the cardiovascular benefits of physical activity among workers. Large prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.
A transdisciplinary approach to research on work and health: What is it, what could it contribute, and what are the challenges?
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-2007
Evaluating Perceptions of the Effectiveness of the Community Advisory Panel Model for Enhancing Service Delivery to Marginalized Populations
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-05-2012
DOI: 10.1111/J.1525-1446.2011.00964.X
Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate perceptions of the effectiveness of the community advisory panels (CAPs) at St. Michael's Hospital, in Toronto, Canada. A qualitative design was employed. Participants included hospital staff, patients, Community Advisory Panel chairs, and key informants from community services in the St. Michael's Hospital catchment area. An online survey about awareness of the CAPs and CAP accomplishments (2) Key informants interviews and (3) Review of memos and meeting minutes of the CAPs to assess their impact in the hospital and the community. St. Michael's Hospital was the setting of the study. Descriptive statistics were generated for the survey data. Qualitative interview data were coded for major themes. Participants included hospital staff, patients, CAP chairs, and key informants from community services in the St. Michael's Hospital catchment area. Although the CAPs initiated and implemented an array of programs and services at St. Michael's Hospital, the visibility of the CAPs and their service to the hospital and community were very low. Themes that emerged from the semistructured interviews involved the visibility, effectiveness, and role of the CAPs in the hospital. Although the CAPs at St. Michael's Hospital appear to be an effective model for community responsiveness, the visibility of their work in the hospital and community was very low.
The impact of co-morbid mental and physical disorders on presenteeism
Publisher: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
Date: 22-09-2015
DOI: 10.5271/SJWEH.3524
Abstract: This study sought to: (i) explore the impact of mood disorders (such as depression, bipolar disorder, mania, or dysthymia) and five age-related chronic physical conditions (arthritis, back pain, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension) on presenteeism (as indicated by self-reported activity limitations at work), and (ii) examine how mood disorders interact with each physical condition to affect this work outcome. Using Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) data, we modeled the relationships between self-reported restrictions at work and each health condition. We then calculated synergy indices (SI) for the interaction between mood disorders and each of the five physical conditions. All six health conditions were associated with presenteeism. The strongest association was observed for back pain [prevalence ratio (PR) 2.70, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.57-2.83] and the weakest for hypertension (PR 1.18, 95% CI 1.11-1.25). The unadjusted SI indicated no interactions between mood disorders and any of the physical conditions, while the adjusted SI indicated statistically significant interactions between mood disorders and each of the five physical conditions. The statistically significant adjusted interactions were in a negative direction, such that having a mood disorder concurrent with a chronic physical condition was associated with a lower burden of presenteeism than expected. Post-hoc analyses revealed that this unexpected finding was attributable to adjustment for other co-morbid health conditions, particularly arthritis and back pain. Our results suggest that targeting chronic physical conditions or mood disorders may be productive in reducing presenteeism. The combined effect on presenteeism when the two types of conditions occur simultaneously is similar to the additive effect of these conditions when each occurs in isolation.
Commentary: methodological approaches to understanding mechanisms and ‘what if’ questions in occupational health research
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 07-08-2023
The demographic and contextual correlates of work‐related repetitive strain injuries among canadian men and women
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-07-2013
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.22195
Abstract: The study sought to identify gender differences in work-related repetitive strain injuries (RSI), as well as examine the degree to which non-work factors such as family roles interact with gender to modify RSI risk. Another aim is to examine whether there are potential provincial differences in work-related RSI risk. The 2003/2005 Canadian Community Health Survey included over 89,000 respondents who reported working in the past 12 months. Separate multi-level models for men and women were used to identify the correlates of work-related RSIs. Women reported sustaining more work-related RSIs than men. Also, having one or more children in the household was associated with lower work-related RSI risk for females. Both men and women in British Columbia reported higher work-related RSI rates than in Ontario. Gender contributes to RSI risk in multiple and erse ways based on labor market segregation, non-work exposures, and possibly biological vulnerability, which suggests more tailored interventions. Also, the provincial differences indicate that monitoring and surveillance of work injury across jurisdictions can assist in province-wide prevention and occupational health and safety evaluation.
Prevalence of serious mental illness and mental health service use after a workplace injury: a longitudinal study of workers’ compensation claimants in Victoria, Australia
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 02-01-2020
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2019-105995
Abstract: Serious mental illness is common among those who have experienced a physical workplace injury, yet little is known about mental health service use in this population. This study aims to estimate the proportion of the workplace musculoskeletal injury population experiencing a mental illness, the proportion who access mental health services through the workers’ compensation system and the factors associated with likelihood of accessing services. A longitudinal cohort study was conducted with a random s le of 615 workers’ compensation claimants followed over three survey waves between June 2014 and July 2015. The primary outcome was receiving any type of mental health service use during this period, as determined by linking survey responses to administrative compensation system records for the 18 months after initial interview. Of 181 (29.4%) participants who met the case definition for a serious mental illness at one or more of the three interviews, 75 (41.4%) accessed a mental health service during the 18-month observation period. Older age (OR=0.96, 95% CI 0.93 to 0.99) and achieving sustained return to work (OR=0.27, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.69) were associated with reduced odds of mental health service use. Although not significant, being born in Australia was associated with an increased odds of service use (OR=2.23, 95% CI 0.97 to 5.10). The proportion of injured workers with musculoskeletal conditions experiencing mental illness is high, yet the proportion receiving mental health services is low. More work is needed to explore factors associated with mental health service use in this population, including the effect of returning to work.
The development of a conceptual model and self-reported measure of occupational health and safety vulnerability
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.AAP.2015.06.004
Abstract: Injuries at work have a substantial economic and societal burden. Often groups of labour market participants, such as young workers, recent immigrants or temporary workers are labelled as being "vulnerable" to work injury. However, defining groups in this way does little to enable a better understanding of the broader factors that place workers at increased risk of injury. In this paper we describe the development of a new measure of occupational health and safety (OH&S) vulnerability. The purpose of this measure was to allow the identification of workers at increased risk of injury, and to enable the monitoring and surveillance of OH&S vulnerability in the labour market. The development included a systematic literature search, and conducting focus groups with a variety of stakeholder groups, to generate a pool of potential items, followed by a series of steps to reduce these items to a more manageable pool. The final measure is 29-item instrument that captures information on four related, but distinct dimensions, thought to be associated with increased risk of injury. These dimensions are: hazard exposure occupational health and safety policies and procedures OH&S awareness and empowerment to participate in injury prevention. In a large s le of employees in Ontario and British Columbia the final measure displayed minimal missing responses, reasonably good distributions across response categories, and strong factorial validity. This new measure of OH&S vulnerability can identify workers who are at risk of injury and provide information on the dimensions of work that may increase this risk. This measurement could be undertaken at one point in time to compare vulnerability across groups, or be undertaken at multiple time points to examine changes in dimensions of OH&S vulnerability, for ex le, in response to a primary prevention intervention.
Work‐injury absence and compensation among partnered and lone mothers and fathers
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-06-2014
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.22351
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the risk of a work-injury absence and the likelihood of receiving compensation among partnered and lone mothers and fathers. This study utilized data from an annual survey of Canadian residents. Logistic regression models examined the association between family status and the receipt of workers' compensation, and absences due to work-related injury or illnesses of 7 or more days. Being a lone mother was significantly associated with the risk of work-injury absence. Gender differences were observed for workers' compensation: mothers were half as likely as fathers to receive workers' compensation benefits, which may be attributed to differences in work experiences between men and women. Findings may help in understanding whether some parental situations are more vulnerable than others and may contribute to identifying policies that could help workers sustain employment or return to work following an injury.
Are new workers at elevated risk for work injury? A systematic review
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 30-05-2019
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2018-105639
Abstract: To identify, appraise and synthesise studies that have examined the degree to which new workers are at an elevated risk of work-related acute injuries and musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries. We searched three relevant electronic databases for studies published between 1995 and early 2018. Fifty-one studies using multivariate analyses met our relevance and quality appraisal criteria. These studies examined two different work outcomes: acute injuries (eg, cuts, burns and falls) and MSK injuries (eg, repetitive strain). In four of six studies looking at acute work injuries, new workers were found to be at an elevated risk of injury (ie, moderate supportive evidence of new worker risk). In another six studies looking at MSK symptoms, injuries or disorders, evidence of an elevated risk among new workers was insufficient or limited. Our review has potential implications for the prevention of work injuries, providing policy-makers and workplace parties with supportive evidence about the importance of prevention efforts focused on new workers, such as developing workplace policies that emphasise hazard exposure reduction, hazard awareness, hazard protection and worker empowerment.
Divided in a digital economy: Understanding disability employment inequities stemming from the application of advanced workplace technologies
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2023
Trends in educational inequalities in smoking and physical activity in Canada: 1974-2005
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 04-2009
Abstract: In Canada levels of smoking have decreased and levels of physical activity have increased over the last 20 years. However, little research has examined if educational inequalities in either of these important health determinants have changed. A secondary analysis of Canadian population-based surveys from 1974 through to 2005 was conducted. The prevalence of both smoking and physical activity across educational groups for both men and women, as well as relative and absolute measures of inequality was estimated. Differences in both smoking and physical activity across educational groups in all surveys examined between 1974 and 2005 were found, with lower educational groups more likely to be heavy smokers and inactive in each survey. Both relative and absolute educational inequalities in smoking widened between 1974 and 2005 (relative concentration index (RCI) for smoking 10 plus cigarettes per day changed from -7.9 to -26.9 among men and from -4.8 to -27.4 among women), with inequalities in physical activity narrowing between 1981 and 1996, then widening between 1996 and 2005 (RCI for inactivity -4.34 to -6.75 among men -3.57 to -5.54 among women). In general, results among men and women did not differ substantially. It is unlikely that the widening educational inequalities in smoking and physical activity documented here reflect lower knowledge of the consequences of smoking and physical inactivity among lower educated groups. The results suggest more work needs to be done in both designing population health approaches that focus on equity and the creation of supportive environments that provide equal opportunities for behaviour change for all educational groups in Canada.
Reply
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 05-2023
Questioning the stability of sense of coherence
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-2003
DOI: 10.1007/S00127-003-0654-Z
Abstract: Much debate exists about the stability of the sense of coherence measure. This study examined changes in sense of coherence (SOC), and the variables associated with these changes, over a 4-year period, in a representative s le of the Canadian labour force (n=6,790). Two methods were used to assess change in SOC: (1) Change outside of that which could be considered as indistinguishable from measurement error, and (2) Change of more than 10%, which was originally proposed by Antonovksy, the scales designer. Over the study period, 35.4% of the population reported changes in SOC outside the range we consider possible due to measurement error, with 58% reporting change greater than 10%. Unskilled occupations were associated with declines in SOC, with household income demonstrating a curvilinear relationship with decline in SOC in the female population only. None of the variables used predicted increases in SOC. Given the degree of change in SOC, and the representativeness of the study s le, we suggest that SOC has a large state component. Given this lack of stability, we recommend caution if using the SOC to represent a stable global orientation within a causal context.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of nurses in British Columbia, Canada using trends analysis across three time points
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2021
Estimating the direct and indirect pathways between education and diabetes incidence among Canadian men and women: a mediation analysis
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.ANNEPIDEM.2012.12.012
Abstract: To estimate the direct and indirect pathways between education and diabetes. We examined the relative contribution of eight different pathways between education and diabetes incidence over a 9-year period in Ontario, Canada. Our data source was respondents (35-60 years of age) to the 2000-2001 Canadian Community Health Survey in idually linked with physician and hospital administrative data. Our s le contained 11,899 participants with no previous diagnosis of diabetes. The direct and indirect effects of education level on incident diabetes were estimated using Aalen additive hazard models. Not having completed secondary education was associated with 120 extra diabetes cases per 10,000 men per year and 43 additional diabetes cases per 10,000 women per year, compared with having Bachelors education or higher. Body mass index accounted for 13 of the 120 extra diabetes cases among men, and 24 of the 43 additional diabetes cases for women. Of the mediating pathways examined in this paper, body mass index was the pathway through which the largest number of diabetes cases was mediated among men and women. A substantial number of excess diabetes cases among respondents with lower education levels, in particular among men, were not mediated through any of the eight pathways examined.
Minimal change is sensitive, less specific to recovery: a diagnostic testing approach to interpretability
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.JCLINEPI.2010.07.012
Abstract: The pursuit of interpretability of longitudinal measures of patient outcome has led to several methods for defining minimal amounts of change or final states that are important. Little is known about the best method. The purpose of this study was to directly compare methods using diagnostic utility to evaluate their usefulness. Secondary analysis of longitudinal cohort data of persons attending physiotherapy for shoulder pain. Disability of the arm, shoulder, and hand outcome fielded at baseline and 3 months. Published methods were used to define positive response in scores: minimal change, final state, and combined change and final state. Proportions described as improved were compared (Kappa) and diagnostic testing techniques used to evaluate the strengths of each. Only moderate agreement was found between methods (Kappa=0.47). Minimal clinically important differences were most sensitive but not specific. Final states were less sensitive, more specific, and most accurate. Combinations were slightly less specific. A new approach allowed us to evaluate the relative merits and risks of different approaches to interpreting longitudinal patient outcomes. Our study points to a combination of change greater than error and/or a final score within general population norms as being the most clinically sensible with strong diagnostic accuracy.
When aspirations and achievements don't meet. A longitudinal examination of the differential effect of education and occupational attainment on declines in self-rated health among Canadian labour forc
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 31-03-2005
DOI: 10.1093/IJE/DYI047
Abstract: To examine the association of a mismatch between educational qualifications and occupational attainment and subsequent declines in self-rated health (SRH) in a longitudinal nationally representative Canadian population s le. This study used longitudinal data from 4045 healthy, working respondents of the Canadian National Population Health Survey. Respondents were categorized as either qualified, overqualified, or underqualified based on the match between their education and the skills required for their current occupation over a 2-year period. Logistic regression analysis estimated the odds of decline in SRH over the following 4-year period, using the match between occupation and education as the main independent variable. Analyses were controlled for a number of confounding variables including health behaviours, mental health, self-esteem, job control, and demographic information. Relative to respondents with university education working in occupations for which they were qualified, respondents with university education, working in occupations for which they were overqualified had a significant risk of decline in SRH between 1996 and 2000, even after adjusting for a number of potential confounders (OR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.11-3.91). In respondents with secondary education or less, differences in occupational attainment were not associated with differences in the odds of decline in SRH. The effect of occupational attainment on health is important for in iduals who have invested the most time in their education. Conversely, differential occupational attainment is not associated with differences in the odds of decline in health for participants with lower levels of education.
Delicate dances: immigrant workers' experiences of injury reporting and claim filing
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-2012
DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2011.614327
Abstract: Immigrants often come to Canada for the purpose of employment and make up a large proportion of our labour force. Yet, these workers' labour market experience may not always be positive - new immigrant workers can have difficulties finding a job in their field and may end up working in 'survival jobs' that expose them to workplace hazards. Workers who are new to Canada may not be familiar with legislation designed to protect them at work or with social programs that can help after a work-related injury. Through a series of in-depth interviews this study examined the experiences of new immigrants after they were injured on the job. The analysis revealed that many workers were in manual, 'survival jobs' and had not received job or occupational health and safety training. Many did not speak the English language well and knew little about their rights. While workers often felt trepidation about reporting their injury, most told a health care provider or employer that they were injured or in pain. This, however, rarely led to timely or appropriate claim filing. Workers were often discouraged from filing a claim, misinformed about their rights or offered 'time off work' in lieu of reporting the injury to worker's compensation. In instances where a claim was filed, communication problems were common and led to mistakes being made on forms and misunderstandings with the adjudicator and employer. Interpretation services were not always offered consistently or at the correct time. Efforts must be made to systematically inform new immigrants of their health and safety rights, responsibilities and entitlements as they are entering the labour market. Systems must be put in place to ensure that immigrants can access the compensation system in the event of a work-related injury and that employers and healthcare providers fulfil their reporting responsibilities.
Comparing the Life Satisfaction of Older Immigrants and Refugees to Canadian-Born Older Adults: The Role of Immigrant Admission Classes
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 18-05-2023
Incidence of outbreak-associated COVID-19 cases by industry in Ontario, Canada, 1 April 2020–31 March 2021
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 12-01-2022
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2021-107879
Abstract: The objective of our study was to estimate the rate of workplace outbreak-associated cases of COVID-19 by industry in labour market participants aged 15–69 years who reported working the majority of hours outside the home in Ontario, Canada. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study of COVID-19 workplace outbreaks and associated cases reported in Ontario between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021. All outbreaks were manually classified into two-digit North American Industry Classification System codes. We obtained monthly denominator estimates from the Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey to estimate the incidence of outbreak-associated cases per 100 000 000 hours among in iduals who reported the majority of hours were worked outside the home. We performed this analysis across industries and in three distinct time periods. Overall, 12% of cases were attributed to workplace outbreaks among working-age adults across our study period. While incidence varied across the time periods, the five industries with the highest incidence rates across our study period were agriculture, healthcare and social assistance, food manufacturing, educational services, and transportation and warehousing. Certain industries have consistently increased the incidence of COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic. These results may assist in ongoing efforts to reduce transmission of COVID-19 by prioritising resources, as well as industry-specific guidance, vaccination and public health messaging.
Methods of soliciting self-reported chronic conditions in population surveys: don’t ask, don’t report?
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-07-2013
Workplace and non-workplace cannabis use and the risk of workplace injury: Findings from a longitudinal study of Canadian workers
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 31-07-2023
DOI: 10.17269/S41997-023-00795-0
Abstract: Findings of previous studies examining the relationship between cannabis use and workplace injury have been conflicting, likely due to methodological shortcomings, including cross-sectional designs and exposure measures that lack consideration for timing of use. The objective was to estimate the association between workplace cannabis use (before and/or at work) and non-workplace use and the risk of workplace injury. Canadian workers participating in a yearly longitudinal study (from 2018 to 2020) with at least two adjacent years of survey data comprised the analytic s le ( n = 2745). The exposure was past-year workplace cannabis use (no past-year use, non-workplace use, workplace use). The outcome was past-year workplace injury (yes/no). Absolute risks and relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated between workplace and non-workplace cannabis use at one time point and workplace injury at the following time point. Models were adjusted for personal and work variables and were also stratified by whether respondents’ jobs were safety-sensitive. Compared to no past-year cannabis use, there was no difference in workplace injury risk for non-workplace cannabis use (RR 1.09, 95%CI 0.83–1.44). However, workplace use was associated with an almost two-fold increased risk of experiencing a workplace injury (RR 1.97, 95%CI 1.32–2.93). Findings were similar for workers in safety-sensitive and non-safety-sensitive work. It is important to distinguish between non-workplace and workplace use when considering workplace safety impacts of cannabis use. Findings have implications for workplace cannabis use policies and substantiate the need for worker education on the risks of workplace cannabis use.
How many employees receive safety training during their first year of a new job?
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 02-2007
Chemical control measures for dermal exposure in Australian workplaces
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 11-2013
Mediating pathways and gender differences between shift work and subjective cognitive function
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 15-07-2016
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2016-103774
Abstract: Increased injury risk among shift workers is often attributed to cognitive function deficits that come about as a result of sleep disruptions. However, little is known about the intermediate influences of other factors (eg, work stress, health) which may affect this relationship. In addition, gender differences in these the complex relationships have not been fully explored. The purpose of this study is to (1) identify the extent to which work and non-work factors mediate the relationship between shift work, sleep and subsequent subjective cognitive function and (2) determine if the mediating pathways differ for men and women. Data from the 2010 National Population Health Survey was used to create a cross-sectional s le of 4255 employed Canadians. Using path modelling, we examined the direct and indirect relationships between shift work, sleep duration, sleep quality and subjective cognitive function. Multigroup analyses tested for significantly different pathways between men and women. Potential confounding effects of age and self-reported health and potential mediating effects of work stress were simultaneously examined. Work stress and sleep quality significantly mediated the effects of shift work on cognition. Age and health confounded the relationship between sleep quality and subjective cognition. No differences were found between men and women. Occupational health and safety programmes are needed to address stress and health factors, in addition to sleep hygiene, to effectively address cognitive function among shift workers.
A return-to-work self-efficacy scale for workers with psychological or musculoskeletal work-related injuries
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 20-02-2016
Examining occupational health and safety vulnerability among Canadian workers with disabilities
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 26-05-2017
DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2017.1327985
Abstract: To compare workers with and without disabilities on their reported workplace hazard exposure and the presence of occupational health and safety vulnerability factors. Working-aged adults in Ontario or British Columbia were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional survey (n = 1988). Self-reported measures included demographic factors, work-related variables, perceived level of activity limitation at work, and presence of work safety vulnerability factors utilizing a novel framework. Reporting a disability at work was significantly associated with greater hazard exposure than those without a disability. In addition, those reporting a disability at work were more likely to be employed in conditions where hazard exposure was combined with inadequate policies and procedures, or hazard exposures were combined with inadequate empowerment. Work safety vulnerability is one way that health inequalities can be perpetuated even among those with disabilities who have found work. Our results suggest that employers and policy makers need to focus on assessing and addressing hazard exposures and targeting occupational health and safety resources in the workplace in a way that includes workers with disabilities. Implications for Rehabilitation Workers with disabilities experience greater hazard exposure than those without a disability. Those with moderate and severe disabilities reported occupational health and safety vulnerability, suggesting that workplace accommodations should be available to a broader range of disability levels. It appears that, above and beyond standard safety procedures, providing workplace accommodations for people with disabilities may further reduce their hazard exposure and improve their safety.
Comparison of data sets for surveillance of work-related injury in Victoria, Australia
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 27-08-2014
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2014-102243
Abstract: To investigate differences and similarities between three sources of work-related injury information: workers compensation claims, emergency department (ED) presentation data and hospital admissions data. This population-based, retrospective descriptive analysis of non-fatal, work-related injuries of workforce participants in Victoria, Australia, has compared data from workers compensation claims and ED presentation and hospital admission data sets for the period 2004-2011. Work-related injury case frequency and rate were compared across study years according to gender, age, geographical location and injury type. Injury rates were expressed as cases per million hours worked. Rates of hospital admissions for treatment of work-related injury increased over the study period, compared with decreasing rates of injury in compensation claims and ED data. The highest rate of injuries to younger workers was captured in ED data. There was greater capture of musculoskeletal injuries by workers' compensation data, and of open wound and burn injury by the ED data. Broad similarities were noted for temporal trends according to gender, for the distribution of cases across older age groups and for rates of fracture injuries. These study findings inform use of workers' compensation, ED presentation and hospital admission data sets as sources of information for surveillance of work-related injuries in countries where these types of data are routinely collected. Choice of data source for investigation of work-related injury should take into consideration the population and injury types of interest.
Comparison of data sources for the surveillance of work injury
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 20-01-2012
Workplace Social System and Sustained Return-to-Work: A Study of Supervisor and Co-worker Supportiveness and Injury Reaction
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 31-08-2017
DOI: 10.1007/S10926-017-9724-Z
Abstract: Objective To examine the impact of the social workplace system on sustained return-to-work (SRTW). Methods A random s le of workers' compensation claimants was recruited to complete a survey following claim acceptance (baseline), and 6 months later (time 2). SRTW, at baseline and time 2, was classified as those reporting being back at work for >28 days. Co-worker and supervisor support were assessed using five and seven items, respectively, and total scores were produced. A list of potential supervisory and co-worker reactions were presented to participants who were asked whether the reaction applied to them response were coded as positive or non-positive. Demographic and injury characteristics, and work context factors were collected. Baseline and at time 2 multivariable models were conducted to examine the impact of supervisory and coworker support and injury reaction on SRTW. Results 551 (baseline) and 403 (time 2) participants from the overall cohort met study eligibility criteria. At baseline, 59% of all participants indicated SRTW 70% reported SRTW at time 2. Participants reported moderate support from their supervisor (mean = 8.5 ± 3.9 median = 8.2 range = 5-15) and co-workers (mean = 10.2 ± 4.5 median = 10.3 range = 5-25). Over half reported a positive supervisor (59%) or co-worker injury reaction (71%). Multivariable models found that a positive supervisor injury reaction was significantly associated with SRTW at baseline (OR 2.3 95% CI 1.4-3.9) and time 2 (OR 1.6 95% CI 1.1-2.3). Conclusions Promoting supervisor positivity towards an injured worker is an important organizational work disability management strategy.
Patterns of Pain and Interference in Patients with Painful Bone Metastases: A Brief Pain Inventory Validation Study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2010
DOI: 10.1016/J.JPAINSYMMAN.2009.07.006
Abstract: Bone metastases are prevalent, painful, and carry a poorer prognosis for pain control compared with other cancer pain syndromes. Standard tools to measure pain have not been validated in this patient population, and particular subgroups with more challenging symptoms have yet to be identified and studied. The objectives of this study were 1) to validate the psychometric properties of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and its Pain and Interference subscales in patients with clinically significant metastatic bone pain requiring palliative radiotherapy and 2) to examine differences in BPI subscales among predefined subgroups of bone metastases patients. A total of 258 patients evaluated and treated through a rapid access radiation therapy clinic between July 2002, and November 2006, were included in the analysis. High internal consistency of the BPI subscales of Pain, Activity interference, and Affect interference was demonstrated by Cronbach's alpha between 0.81 and 0.89. Removing sleep interference improved model fit in confirmatory factor analysis. The BPI revealed an alarming pattern in patients with lower body metastases, who reported substantial interference of activity even though pain levels were mild or moderate. Such patients may require prompt clinical attention to better meet their needs. Finally, the allocation of interference from sleep within the BPI framework, in our population of pain patients, requires further study.
The unequal distribution of occupational health and safety risks among immigrants to Canada compared to Canadian-born labour market participants: 1993–2005
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2010
Assault predicts time away from work after claims for work-related mild traumatic brain injury
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 24-05-2019
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2018-105621
Abstract: Workplace violence carries a substantial economic loss burden. Up to 10% of all traumatic brain injury (TBI) admissions result from physical assault. There remains a paucity of research on assault as a mechanism of injury, taking into account sex, and its association with work re-entry. The aim of this study was to characterise, by sex, the s le of workers who had sustained a work-related mild TBI (wr-mTBI) and to assess the independent influence of assault, as a mechanism of injury, on time away from work. A population-based retrospective cohort of workers’ compensation claimants in Australia (n=3129) who had sustained a wr-mTBI was used for this study. A multivariable logistic regression analysis assessed whether workers who had sustained wr-mTBI as a result of assault (wr-mTBI-assault) were more likely to claim time off work compared with workers who had sustained a wr-mTBI due to other mechanisms. Among claimants who sustained a wr-mTBI, 9% were as a result of assault. The distribution of demographic and vocational variables differed between the wr-mTBI-assault, and not due to assault, both in the full s le, and separately for men and women. After controlling for potential confounding factors, workers who sustained wr-mTBI-assault, compared with other mechanisms, were more likely to take days off work (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.53 to 2.99) within a 3-month timeframe. The results have policy-related implications. Sex-specific and workplace-specific prevention strategies need to be considered and provisions to support return-to-work and well-being within this vulnerable cohort should be examined.
Extended Duration of Efficacy of Vardenafil When Taken 8 Hours Before Intercourse: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2006
DOI: 10.1016/J.EURURO.2006.05.036
Abstract: This study explored the efficacy of vardenafil in men with erectile dysfunction (ED) when taken 8 hours before sexual intercourse. A 10-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, flexible-dose study of vardenafil (5, 10 or 20mg) was conducted in men with ED for >6 months who failed >or=50% of intercourse attempts during a 4-week treatment-free run-in period. Sexual Encounter Profile Question 3 (SEP3) was the primary efficacy measure secondary measures included SEP2, International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) domain score, Global Assessment Question (GAQ), Global Confidence Question (GCQ) and Erection Quality Scale (EQS). Adverse-event and safety monitoring were conducted throughout. 383 patients were randomized to vardenafil (n=194) or placebo (n=189). Patients treated with vardenafil 8 hours before sexual activity achieved clinically meaningful (>or=18%) and statistically significantly greater least-squares mean per-patient SEP3 and SEP2 success rates over weeks 2-10, compared with patients receiving placebo (SEP3 69% vs 34% SEP2 81% vs 51% both p<0.001). SEP3 and SEP2 measures demonstrated the significant superiority of vardenafil over placebo from week 2 onwards (p<0.001). Measurements of IIEF-EF domain score, GAQ, GCQ and EQS showed that vardenafil led to significantly greater improvements in erectile function, compared with placebo (all p<0.001). Vardenafil was generally well tolerated. The extended duration of efficacy of vardenafil up to 8 hours postdose may provide couples with more flexibility in their sexual life than anticipated.
Are the predictors of work absence following a work-related injury similar for musculoskeletal and mental health claims?
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-06-2014
DOI: 10.1007/S10926-013-9455-8
Abstract: To examine if the factors associated with days of absence following a work-related injury are similar for mental health versus musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. A secondary analysis of wage replacement workers' compensation claims in the state of Victoria, Australia. We examined the relationship between in idual, injury, occupational and workplace variables with days of wage replacement over the 2-year period following first day of absence from work separately for mental health claims and MSK claims using negative binomial regression models. Mental health conditions were associated with a greater number of days of absence over the 2 years following first incapacity compared to MSK conditions. Differences were observed in employment, injury and industry variables on absence from work for mental claims compared to MSK claims. Working in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining industries and employment with a small organisation were more strongly associated with the number of days of wage-replacement among MSK compared to mental health claims, and working in the public administration and safety, or education and training industries or being employed in a position with high time pressure were associated with greater days of wage-replacement among mental health compared to MSK claims. Predictors of days away from work in the 2 years following an injury differ for mental health versus MSK claims. Given the increasing number of mental health claims in Australia more research is required to understand differences in return-to-work for this group of claimants compared to those with physical injuries.
Age-related differences in work injuries: A multivariate, population-based study
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 2005
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.20185
Abstract: Many population-based studies find that the rate of work injuries is higher among adolescent and young adult workers compared to older adults. The present study examines age-related differences in work injuries, with an emphasis on adjusting for the potential confounding effects of job characteristics. Age-related differences in work injuries were examined in a representative s le of 56,510 working Canadians aged 15 years and over. Respondents reported work-related injuries and job characteristics (e.g., occupation) in the past 12 months. Total hours worked in the past year were computed for each worker and accounted for in the logistic regressions. Analyses were stratified by gender. For men, adjusting for job characteristics substantially reduced, but did not eliminate the elevated risk status of adolescent and young adult workers. For women, only young adult women showed an elevated risk of work injury with job characteristics controlled. This is one of the few multivariate studies specifically examining contributors to age-related differences in work injuries in a population-based s le of workers. The substantial reduction in age-work injury association in the fully adjusted model suggests that differences in the types of jobs young workers hold play a critical role in their high-risk status.
The Multiligament Quality of Life Questionnaire
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 06-10-2014
Abstract: Existing knee joint–specific outcome questionnaires lack content pertinent to patients with multiligament knee injuries. To develop and test the reliability and validity of a novel disease-specific quality of life questionnaire for patients with multiligament knee injuries. Cohort study (diagnosis) Level of evidence, 2. Participants in this study included patients with multiligament knee injuries and clinician experts. Inclusion criteria were (1) patients with multiligament knee injury (age, 18-60 years), (2) ≥6 months after injury, and (3) operative or nonoperative treatment. Exclusion criteria were (1) preexisting osteoarthritis or inflammatory arthritis and (2) intracerebral/spinal cord injury. In phase I of the study, 85 eligible patients were mailed a questionnaire composed of 132 items from 11 existing knee questionnaires. Items were rated with regard to importance and frequency on a 5-point Likert scale. Criteria for inclusion in the first draft of the Multiligament Quality of Life (MLQOL) questionnaire included mean importance rating ≥3.5 and frequency % for the response “never experienced.” In phase II, patient focus groups and expert interviews were conducted until no further new content was generated for the MLQOL, and in phase III, 99 eligible patients across 2 centers were mailed a preliminary MLQOL questionnaire along with the Tegner activity scale, Short Form (SF)–36, and anchor questions. Interitem and item-to-total correlations were used to perform item reduction to generate a final MLQOL instrument, which was tested for internal consistency (Cronbach alpha), test-retest reliability (interclass correlation coefficient [ICC]), and construct validity. At the end of phase III, a final MLQOL instrument was developed that was composed of 4 domains (physical impairments [PI], emotional impairments [EI], activity limitations [AL], and societal involvement [SI]) with 52 items in total. The MLQOL had adequate content validity, as none of the domains had any floor or ceiling effects. The Cronbach alpha was .94 (PI), .93 (EI), .94 (AL), and .91 (SI) ICC values were .89 (PI), .86 (EI), .91 (AL), and .88 (SI). Seven of 8 a priori hypotheses were satisfied, indicating good construct validity. The MLQOL instrument is a novel disease-specific quality of life tool that has demonstrated excellent content validity, reliability, and construct validity.
Organizational Perspectives on How to Successfully Integrate Health Promotion Activities into Occupational Health and Safety
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 19-11-2020
Work injury risk by time of day in two population-based data sources
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 26-09-2012
Examining the relationship between chronic conditions, multi-morbidity and labour market participation in Canada: 2000–2005
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 24-07-2013
DOI: 10.1017/S0144686X13000457
Abstract: Relatively little attention has been paid to understanding and addressing the potential health-related barriers faced by older workers to stay at work. Using three representative s les from the Canadian Community Health Survey, we examined the relationship between seven physical chronic conditions and labour market participation in Canada between 2000 and 2005. We found that all conditions were associated with an increased probability of not being able to work due to health reasons. In our adjusted models, heart disease was associated with the greatest probability of not working due to health reasons. Arthritis was associated with the largest population attributable fraction. Other variables associated with not being able to work due to health reasons included older age, female gender and lower educational attainment. We also found particular combinations of chronic conditions (heart disease and diabetes and arthritis and back pain) were associated with a greater risk than the separate effects of each condition independently. The results of this study demonstrate that chronic conditions are associated with labour market participation limitations to differing extents. Strategies to keep older workers in the labour market in Canada will need to address barriers to staying at work that result from the presence of chronic conditions, and particular combinations of conditions.
Gender differences in authorship prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic in research submissions to Occupational and Environmental Medicine (2017–2021)
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 17-02-2022
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2021-107915
Abstract: To explore whether the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted productivity of female academics in the field of occupational and environmental health, by examining trends in male and female authorship of submissions during and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Administrative data on submissions between January 2017 and November 2021 were obtained through databases held at BMJ journals. Author gender was identified using an existing algorithm based on matching names to social media accounts. The number and proportion of female and male primary (first) and senior (last) authors were examined for each quarter, and the average change in share of monthly submissions from male authors in the months since the pandemic compared with corresponding months prior to the pandemic were identified using regression models estimating least squares means. Among 2286 (64.7%) and 2335 (66.1%) manuscripts for which first and last author gender were identified, respectively, 49.3% of prepandemic submissions were from male first authors, increasing to 55.4% in the first year of the pandemic (difference of 6.1%, 95% CI 1.3% to 10.7%), before dropping to 46.6% from April 2021 onwards. Quarterly counts identified a large increase in submissions from male authors during the first year after the onset of the pandemic, and a smaller increase from female authors. The proportion of male last authors did not change significantly during the pandemic. These findings suggest that there has been an increase in male productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic within the field of occupational and environmental health research that is present to a lesser extent among women.
Geographic variation in work injuries: a multilevel analysis of individual-level data and area-level factors within Canada
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.ANNEPIDEM.2013.03.008
Abstract: This study sought to examine provincial variation in work injuries and to assess whether contextual factors are associated with geographic variation in work injuries. In idual-level data from the 2003 and 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey was obtained for a representative s le of 89,541 Canadians aged 15 to 75 years old who reported working in the past 12 months. A multilevel regression model was conducted to identify geographic variation and contextual factors associated with the likelihood of reporting an activity limiting work injury [corrected], while adjusting for demographic and work variables. Provincial differences in work injuries were observed, even after controlling for other risk factors. Workers in western provinces such as Saskatchewan (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.30 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.55), Alberta (AOR, 1.31 95% CI, 1.13-1.51), and British Columbia (AOR, 1.46 95% CI, 1.26-1.71) had a higher risk of work injuries compared with Ontario workers. Indicators of area-level material and social deprivation were not associated with work injury risk. Provincial differences in work injuries suggest that broader factors acting as determinants of work injuries are operating across workplaces at a provincial level. Future research needs to identify the provincial determinants and whether similar large area-level factors are driving work injuries in other countries.
Are there differences in the return to work process for work-related psychological and musculoskeletal injuries? A longitudinal path analysis
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-02-2020
Another Person in the Room
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 13-05-2014
Abstract: Cross-language research poses many challenges. When researchers and participants do not speak the same language, meanings expressed by participants might not be understood in the same way by researchers, and the richness of participants’ experiences might be lost. This can lead to the misrepresentation and silencing of issues faced by these participants, especially newcomers. In this article, we critically examine our experience conducting qualitative interviews with injured immigrant workers with the help of professional interpreters. Using ex les from our field notes and transcripts, we outline some of the key difficulties we faced: varying styles of interpretation, breeches of interview conventions, and miscommunications with interpreters. We discuss how these issues affected our study design, rapport with participants and, ultimately, data quality. We end with a discussion of how to improve cross-language and cross-cultural research.
Male-Female Differences in Work Activity Limitations
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 2017
The relationship between shift work and body mass index among Canadian nurses
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.APNR.2012.10.001
Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between shift schedule and body mass index (BMI) among a s le of Canadian Nurses. Higher BMI values have been reported for employees working non-standard shifts compared to those working a regular daytime schedule. Little is known about the pathways through which shift work is associated with higher BMI. This study was a secondary analysis of a s le from National Survey on the Work and Health of Nurses (N=9291). We found a small, but statistically significant, difference in BMI scores across shift schedule categories with higher BMI scores reported among female nurses working night or mixed shift schedules, compared with those working a regular daytime schedule. Adjustment for working conditions and employer supported facilities did not attenuate the association between shift work and BMI scores. The potential public health importance of this relationship requires further investigation given the small, but statistically significant, differences observed in this s le.
A cluster RCT to improve workplace mental health in a policing context: Findings of a mixed‐methods implementation evaluation
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-12-2020
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.23217
The predictors of self-rated health and the relationship between self-rated health and health service needs are similar across socioeconomic groups in Canada
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2010
DOI: 10.1016/J.JCLINEPI.2009.08.015
Abstract: To examine if there are systematic differences in the predictors of self-rated health (SRH) and to examine the relationship between SRH and health care utilization across socioeconomic groups. We used cross-sectional data from the Canadian Community Health Survey linked to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (N=17,109). We examined relative differences in the factors associated with different levels of SRH across socioeconomic groups (as assessed by education and household income) using probit models separately for men and women. We then examined differences in expected health care costs, as assessed by adjusted clinical group weights using administrative health care records, between socioeconomic groups within the same level of SRH. We found limited differences across the predictive ability of a broad range of physical, mental, health service/care utilization, and health behavior variables on SRH across socioeconomic groups. In addition, no differences were found in the expected health care utilization costs across socioeconomic groups within the same level of SRH. The results of this study suggest that SRH assesses a broad variety of factors, including physical health status, mental health status, health service/care utilization, and health behaviors, relatively equally across socioeconomic groups, measured as either education or income.
Psychosocial and other working conditions: Variation by employment arrangement in a sample of working Australians
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-12-2012
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.21038
Abstract: The evidence linking precarious employment with poor health is mixed. Self-reported occupational exposures in a population-based Australian s le were assessed to investigate the potential for differential exposure to psychosocial and other occupational hazards to contribute to such a relationship, hypothesizing that exposures are worse under more precarious employment arrangements (EA). Various psychoscial and other working conditions were modeled in relation to eight empirically derived EA categories with Permanent Full-Time (PFT) as the reference category (N = 925), controlling for sex, age, and occupational skill level. More precarious EA were associated with higher odds of adverse exposures. Casual Full-Time workers had the worst exposure profile, showing the lowest job control, as well as the highest odds of multiple job holding, shift work, and exposure to four or more additional occupational hazards. Fixed-Term Contract workers stood out as the most likely to report job insecurity. Self-employed workers showed the highest job control, but also the highest odds of long working hours. Psychosocial and other working conditions were generally worse under more precarious EA, but patterns of adverse occupational exposures differ between groups of precariously employed workers.
Comparing the risk of work-related injuries between immigrants to Canada and Canadian-born labour market participants
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 09-07-2008
Abstract: To examine the burden of work-related injuries among immigrants to Canada compared to Canadian-born labour force participants. Using data from the 2003 and 2005 Canadian Community Health Surveys (n = 99,115), two nationally representative population s les, we examined the risk of self-reported, activity limiting work-related injuries among immigrants with varying time periods since arrival in Canada. Models were adjusted for hours of work in the last 12 months as well as various demographic and work-related variables. Immigrant men in their first 5 years in Canada reported lower rates of activity limiting injuries compared to Canadian-born respondents. Surprisingly, the percentage of injuries that required medical attention was much higher among recent immigrants compared to Canadian-born respondents, resulting in an increased risk of activity limiting injuries requiring medical attention among immigrant men compared to Canadian-born labour force participants. No excess risk was found among female immigrants compared to Canadian-born female labour market participants. Immigrant men in their first 5 years in Canada are at increased risk of work-related injuries that require medical attention. A similar risk is not present among immigrant women. Further, given differences in the number of activity limiting injuries requiring medical attention across immigrant groups, we believe this excess risk among immigrant men may be underestimated in the current data source. Future research should attempt to fully capture the barriers faced by immigrants in obtaining safe employment, the number of injuries that are sustained by immigrants while working, and the consequences of these injuries.
The Third Version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2019
Adherence to Predefined Dietary Patterns and Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes in the Canadian Adult Population
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.JCJD.2019.06.002
Abstract: Diet quality indices are increasingly being used in epidemiologic research. However, no studies have addressed whether adherence to Canadian dietary guidelines is longitudinally associated with decreased risk of type 2 diabetes in a population-based s le. The objective of this study is to examine the association between the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) and incident type 2 diabetes in the Canadian population. We used data from Ontario respondents to the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey linked to health administrative data (n=4,755). Adherence to the HEI was analyzed with a 24-hour dietary recall. Type 2 diabetes was ascertained through the Ontario Diabetes Database, and tracked up to 12.1 years from baseline. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate type 2 diabetes risk as a function of HEI score. Given obesity's potential role as a mediator, we explored the effects of removing body mass index from the final model. High HEI adherence was not associated with a reduction in diabetes risk overall (hazard ratio [HR], 0.97 95% confidence interval, 0.62 to 1.50), nor in separate strata of men (HR, 0.94) or women (HR, 1.03). Additional adjustment for body mass index attenuated the multivariable adjusted hazard ratios toward the null. This is the first study to prospectively explore the relationship between adherence to the dietary recommendations of the HEI and diabetes risk in a representative, population-based s le. Our analyses challenge previous findings and highlight the utility of linked data to evaluate the role of healthy dietary patterns in relation to population-level morbidity.
Rehabilitation Utilization following a Work-Related Traumatic Brain Injury: A Sex-Based Examination of Workers’ Compensation Claims in Victoria, Australia
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 16-03-2016
Labour Market Attachment, Workplace Infection Control Procedures and Mental Health: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Canadian Non-healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 14-12-2020
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to large proportions of the labour market moving to remote work, while others have become unemployed. Those still at their physical workplace likely face increased risk of infection, compared to other workers. The objective of this paper is to understand the relationship between working arrangements, infection control programs (ICP), and symptoms of anxiety and depression among Canadian workers, not specifically working in healthcare. A convenience-based internet survey of Canadian non-healthcare workers was facilitated through various labour organizations between April 26 and June 6, 2020. A total of 5180 respondents started the survey, of which 3779 were assessed as employed in a full-time or part-time capacity on 2 March 2020 (prior to large-scale COVID-19 pandemic responses in Canada). Of this s le, 3305 (87.5%) had complete information on main exposures and outcomes. Anxiety symptoms were measured using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder screener (GAD-2), and depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire screener (PHQ-2). For workers at their physical workplace (site-based workers) we asked questions about the adequacy and implementation of 11 different types of ICP, and the adequacy and supply of eight different types of personal protective equipment (PPE). Respondents were classified as either: working remotely site-based workers with 100% of their ICP/PPE needs met site-based workers with 50–99% of ICP/PPE needs met site-based workers with 1–49% of ICP/PPE needs met site-based workers with none of ICP/PPE needs met or no longer employed. Regression analyses examined the association between working arrangements and ICP/PPE adequacy and having GAD-2 and PHQ-2 scores of three and higher (a common screening point in both scales). Models were adjusted for a range of demographic, occupation, workplace, and COVID-19-specific factors. A total of 42.3% (95% CI: 40.6–44.0%) of the s le had GAD-2 scores of 3 and higher, and 34.6% (95% CI: 32.–36.2%) had PHQ-2 scores of 3 and higher. In initial analyses, symptoms of anxiety and depression were lowest among those working remotely (35.4 and 27.5%), compared to site-based workers (43.5 and 34.7%) and those who had lost their jobs (44.1 and 35.9%). When adequacy of ICP and PPE was taken into account, the lowest prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms was observed among site-based workers with all of their ICP needs being met (29.8% prevalence for GAD-2 scores of 3 and higher, and 23.0% prevalence for PHQ-2 scores of 3 and higher), while the highest prevalence was observed among site-based workers with none of their ICP needs being met (52.3% for GAD-2 scores of 3 and higher, and 45.8% for PHQ-2 scores of 3 and higher). Our results suggest that the adequate design and implementation of employer-based ICP have implications for the mental health of site-based workers. As economies re-open the ongoing assessment of ICP and associated mental health outcomes among the workforce is warranted.
Examining age differences in duration of wage replacement by injury characteristics
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 12-2016
Abstract: One explanation for why older age is associated with greater duration of wage replacement following a work-related injury may be that older workers sustain more severe injuries and different types of injury compared with their younger counterparts. To examine the role of injury-related characteristics in explaining the impact of age on wage replacement duration, and whether the relationship between age and wage replacement duration is consistent across injury types and levels of severity. A secondary analysis of workers' compensation claims in the Australian state of Victoria. In Victoria, only injuries which have accumulated >10 days of wage replacement, or have health care expenditures above a financial threshold, are eligible for compensation. Nested regression models were used to examine the relative contribution of injury-related characteristics to age differences in wage replacement duration. Older age was associated with greater days of wage replacement among men and women, even after adjusting for injury characteristics. Adjustment for differences in injury types and compensation reporting practices resulted in moderate attenuation of the age-duration relationship among men and small attenuation among women. The age-duration relationship was consistent across injury types/severity. The relationship between older age and greater duration of wage replacement is ubiquitous across injuries of different types and severity. Future research is required to understand better why older age is consistently associated with worse compensation outcomes following work-related injury.
Job Strain, Overweight, and Diabetes: A 13-Year Prospective Study Among 12,896 Men and Women in Ontario
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 17-12-2020
DOI: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000898
Abstract: The American Diabetes Association recently called for research on social and environmental determinants of diabetes to intensify primary prevention. Recent epidemiological evidence suggests that frequent and modifiable psychosocial stressors at work might contribute to the development of diabetes, but more prospective studies are needed. We evaluated the relationship between job strain and diabetes incidence in 12,896 workers followed up over a 13-year period in Ontario, Canada. We also examined the modifying effect of body mass index in this relationship. Data from Ontario respondents (35–74 years of age) to the 2000–2001, 2002, and 2003 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey were prospectively linked to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan database for physician services and the Canadian Institute for Health Information Discharge Abstract Database for hospital admissions. The s le consisted of actively employed participants with no previous diagnosis for diabetes. Cox proportional hazard regression models were performed to evaluate the relationship between job strain, obesity, and the incidence of diabetes. Overall, job strain was not associated with the incidence of diabetes (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.05 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.83–1.34). Among women, job strain was associated with an elevated risk of diabetes, although this finding did not reach statistical significance (HR = 1.36 95% CI = 0.94–1.96). Among men, no association was observed (HR = 0.89 95% CI = 0.65–1.22). Also, job strain increased the risk of diabetes among women with obesity (HR = 1.88 95% CI = 1.14–3.08), whereas these stressors reduced the risk among men with obesity (HR = 0.58 95% CI = 0.36–0.95). The current study suggests that lowering job strain might be an effective strategy for preventing diabetes among women, especially the high-risk group comprising women with obesity.
The Impact of Adverse Employment and Working Conditions on the Risk of Workplace Injury in Canada
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2021
Exploring musculoskeletal injuries in the podiatry profession: An international cross sectional study
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-01-2017
Measuring change in psychosocial working conditions: methodological issues to consider when data are collected at baseline and one follow-up time point
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 04-2008
Abstract: If policy makers and employers are to take health issues into account when making decisions that will impact on work practices and work environments, they will need accurate information concerning the impact change in psychosocial working conditions has on health status. Although research is increasing in this area, a variety of different methods have been used to define when change in work conditions has occurred. The present paper considers various issues related to the accurate assessment of change in psychosocial working conditions, focusing on research designs that involve the collection of data at baseline and a single follow-up time point. The aim is to inform investigators about these methodological issues so they can be considered in the design of studies, the analysis of data and the interpretation of research findings.
Switching to Daylight Saving Time and work injuries in Ontario, Canada: 1993-2007
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 30-09-2010
Abstract: To examine whether switching to and from Daylight Saving Time (DST)-1 h shift forward in the spring and 1 h shift back in the autumn-is associated with an increase in work injuries. Data on work-related injuries were obtained from compensation claim records from the Ontario Workplace Safety & Insurance Board for the period 1993-2007. A Poisson regression model was run separately comparing the number of no lost time claims and lost time claims during the week of DST change with the week following DST change, and the week preceding DST change. We also examined if differences in the relationship between DST and work injury claims were present across industry, age, gender and job tenure groups. The results of our regression model did not show an increase in the incidence of work injury claims in the days immediately following the spring shift to DST. There was a significant decrease in the number of claims on Thursday, Friday and Saturday following the spring transition to DST. However, this decline was solely due to the years when Good Friday occurred during DST week (1993, 1998 and 2004) when fewer people are at work. For the autumn transition from DST, no evidence was found that the gain of 1 h sleep results in a decrease or increase in work injury claims. Our findings show that the shift to and from DST had no detrimental effects on the incidence of claims for work injuries in Ontario, Canada.
The impact of sustained hot weather on risk of acute work-related injury in Melbourne, Australia
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-09-2017
DOI: 10.1007/S00484-017-1435-9
Abstract: It has been reported that weather-related high ambient temperature is associated with an increased risk of work-related injury. Understanding this relationship is important because work-related injuries are a major public health problem, and because projected climate changes will potentially expose workers to hot days, including consecutive hot days, more often. The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of exposure to sustained periods of hot weather on work-related injury risk for workers in Melbourne, Australia. A time-stratified case crossover study design was utilised to examine the association between two and three consecutive days and two and three consecutive nights of hot weather and the risk of work-related injury, using definitions of hot weather ranging from the 60th to the 95th percentile of daily maximum and minimum temperatures for the Melbourne metropolitan area, 2002-2012. Workers' compensation claim data was used to identify cases of acute work-related injury. Overall, two and three consecutive days of hot weather were associated with an increased risk of injury, with this effect becoming apparent at a daily maximum temperature of 27.6 °C (70th percentile). Three consecutive days of high but not extreme temperatures were associated with the strongest effect, with a 15% increased risk of injury (odds ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.30) observed when daily maximum temperature was ≥33.3 °C (90th percentile) for three consecutive days, compared to when it was not. At a threshold of 35.5 °C (95th percentile), there was no significant association between temperature and injury for either two or three consecutive days of heat. These findings suggest that warnings to minimise harm to workers from hot weather should be given, and prevention protocol initiated, when consecutive warm days of temperatures lower than extreme heat temperatures are forecast, and well before the upper ranges of ambient daytime temperatures are reached.
Occupational Health and Safety Vulnerability of Recent Immigrants and Refugees
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 14-09-2018
Abstract: Recent immigrants and refugees have higher rates of work-related injuries and illnesses compared to Canadian-born workers. As a result, they are often labelled as vulnerable workers. This study explored the factors that contribute to occupational health and safety (OHS) vulnerability of recent immigrants and refugees with a focus on modifiable factors such as exposure to hazards and access to workplace protections, awareness of OHS and worker rights, and empowerment to act on those rights. Eighteen focus groups were conducted with 110 recent immigrants and refugees about their experiences looking for work and in their first jobs in Canada. A thematic content analysis was used to organize the data and to identify and report themes. The jobs described by participants typically involved poor working conditions and exposure to hazards without adequate workplace protections. Most participants had limited knowledge of OHS and employment rights and tended to not voice safety concerns to employers. Understanding OHS vulnerability from the lens of workplace context can help identify modifiable conditions that affect the risk of injury and illness among recent immigrants and refugees. Safe work integration depends on providing these workers with information about their rights, adequate job training, and opportunities for participating in injury prevention.
Impact of pre-existing chronic conditions on age differences in sickness absence after a musculoskeletal work injury: A path analysis approach
Publisher: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
Date: 31-10-2013
DOI: 10.5271/SJWEH.3397
Abstract: This study aims to examine the extent to which a greater prevalence of pre-existing chronic conditions among older workers explains why older age is associated with longer duration of sickness absence (SA) following a musculoskeletal work-related injury in British Columbia. A secondary analysis of workers' compensation claims in British Columbia over three time periods (1997-1998 2001-2002, and 2005-2006), the study comprised 102 997 and 53 882 claims among men and women, respectively. Path models examined the relationships between age and days of absence and the relative contribution of eight different pre-existing chronic conditions (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, thyroid conditions, hearing problems, and depression) to this relationship. Models were adjusted for in idual, injury, occupational, and industrial covariates. The relationship between age and length of SA was stronger for men than women. A statistically significant indirect effect was present between older age, diabetes, and longer days of SA among both men and women. Indirect effects between age and days of SA were also present through osteoarthritis, among men but not women, and coronary heart disease, among women but not men. Depression was associated with longer duration of SA but was most prevalent among middle-aged claimants. Approximately 70-78% of the effect of age on days of SA remained unexplained after accounting for pre-existing conditions. Pre-existing chronic conditions, specifically diabetes, osteoarthritis and coronary heart disease, represent important factors that explain why older age is associated with more days of SA following a musculoskeletal injury. Given the increasing prevalence of chronic conditions among labor market participants (and subsequently injured workers) moderate reductions in age differences in SA could be gained by better understanding the mechanisms linking these conditions to longer durations of SA.
Pain-Related Work Interference is a Key Factor in a Worker/Workplace Model of Work Absence Duration Due to Musculoskeletal Conditions in Canadian Nurses
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-01-2013
DOI: 10.1007/S10926-012-9408-7
Abstract: To examine the role of pain experiences in relation to work absence, within the context of other worker health factors and workplace factors among Canadian nurses with work-related musculoskeletal (MSK) injury. Structural equation modeling was used on a s le of 941 employed, female, direct care nurses with at least one day of work absence due to a work-related MSK injury, from the cross-sectional 2005 National Survey of the Work and Health of Nurses. The final model suggests that pain severity and pain-related work interference mediate the impact of the following worker health and workplace factors on work absence duration: depression, back problems, age, unionization, workplace physical demands and low job control. The model accounted for 14 % of the variance in work absence duration and 46.6 % of the variance in pain-related work interference. Our findings support a key role for pain severity and pain-related work interference in mediating the effects of workplace factors and worker health factors on work absence duration. Future interventions should explore reducing pain-related work interference through addressing workplace issues, such as providing modified work, reducing physical demands, and increasing job control.
Cannabis use among workers with work-related injuries and illnesses: results from a cross-sectional study of workers’ compensation claimants in Ontario, Canada
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 07-2023
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2023-072994
Abstract: Little is known about how workers use cannabis following a work-related injury/illness, including whether they receive clinical guidance. The objective was to compare characteristics of workers using and not using cannabis after a work-related injury/illness and describe use patterns. Cross-sectional study. Workers who experienced a work-related physical injury/illness resulting in one or more days of lost time compensated by the workers’ compensation authority in Ontario, Canada (n=1196). Participants were interviewed 18 or 36 months after their injury/illness. Participants were asked about their past-year cannabis use, including whether use was for the treatment of their work-related condition. Sociodemographic, work and health characteristics were compared across cannabis groups: no past-year use use for the work-related condition use unrelated to the work-related condition. Cannabis use reasons, patterns, perceived impact and healthcare provider engagement were described. In total, 27.4% of the s le reported using cannabis (14.1% for their work-related condition). Workers using cannabis for their condition were less likely to be working (58.0%) and more likely to have quite a bit/extreme pain interference (48.5%), psychological distress (26.0%) and sleep problems most/all the time (62.1%) compared with those not using cannabis (74.3%, 26.3%, 12.0% and 38.0%, respectively) and those using cannabis for other reasons (74.2%, 19.5%, 12.0% and 37.1%, respectively) (all p .0001). No significant differences were observed in medical authorisations for use among those using cannabis for their condition (20.4%) or unrelated to their condition (15.7%) (p=0.3021). Healthcare provider guidance was more common among those using cannabis for their condition (32.7%) compared with those using for other reasons (17.1%) (p=0.0024) however, two-thirds of this group did not receive guidance. Cannabis may be used to manage the consequences of work-related injuries/illnesses, yet most do not receive clinical guidance. It is important that healthcare providers speak with injured workers about their cannabis use.
Corrigendum: Gender, Work, and Health
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 18-04-2018
A multi-group cross-lagged analyses of work stressors and health using Canadian National sample
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2009
DOI: 10.1016/J.SOCSCIMED.2008.10.019
Abstract: This article examines the reciprocal relationships between work variables and health outcomes and if these relationships differ by social class (measured by occupational grouping). We used longitudinal data from the 1994/95--2002/03 Canadian National Population Health Survey (NPHS). Karasek's work stress variables were measured in the 1994/95 (cycle 1, time 1), 2000/01 (cycle 4, time 2) and 2002/03 (cycle 5, time 3) surveys. Analyses were limited to 2556 respondents aged 18-56 at time 1 and who remained in the same social class (as defined by occupational position) for all the three time points. Work variables used were job strain ratio, work social support and job insecurity. Health outcomes used were distress, depression and self-rated health. Multi-group path analyses were used to investigate the reciprocal relationships between work and health variables and if these relationships differed by social class. Analyses controlled for age, gender, marital status and work status. We find there is a differential burden of work psychosocial factors and health outcomes by social class. The cross-lagged relationships between work and health depended on the outcome, social class and time lag. More significant paths from work to health were observed than reverse paths from health to work. More significant relationships between work and health were observed for the shorter time lag (2 years) compared to longer time lags (6 years). Low work social support and job insecurity were more detrimental to health for respondents in lower social class positions. Findings from this study highlight the importance of time lag, and to some extent social class, in the reciprocal relationships between work and health.
Do Changes in Job Control Predict Differences in Health Status? Results From a Longitudinal National Survey of Canadians
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 2008
The psychosocial work environment and incident diabetes in Ontario, Canada
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 20-08-2012
Abstract: Relatively few longitudinal studies have explored the relationship between psychosocial work conditions and diabetes incidence. Given the increasing global burden of diabetes this is an important area for public health research. To examine the relationships between dimensions of the psychosocial work environment on the subsequent incidence of diabetes among men and women in Ontario, Canada over a 9 year period. We used data from Ontario respondents (35 to 60 years of age) to the 2000-01 Canadian Community Health Survey linked to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan database for physician services and the Canadian Institute for Health Information Discharge Abstract Database for hospital admissions. Our s le of actively employed labour market participants with no previous diagnoses for diabetes was followed for a 9 year period to ascertain incident diabetes. There were 7443 participants. Low levels of job control were associated with an increased risk of diabetes among women, but not among men. Counter to our hypotheses high levels of social support were also associated with increased diabetes risk among women, but not among men. No relationship was found between any psychosocial work measure and risk of diabetes among men. Given the increasing prevalence of diabetes worldwide, job control could potentially be an import ant modifiable risk factor to reduce the incidence of diabetes among female, but not among male, workers. More research is needed to understand the pathways through which low social support may protect against the development of diabetes.
Body mass index trajectories among the Canadian workforce and their association with work environment trajectories over 17 years
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 10-03-2020
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2019-106023
Abstract: To determine the number of latent body mass index (BMI) trajectories from 1994 to 2010 among working Canadians and their association with concurrent trajectories in work environment exposures. Data of employed in iduals from the longitudinal Canadian National Population Health Survey were used. Group-based trajectory modelling was used to determine the number of latent BMI trajectories and concurrent psychosocial work environment trajectories. A multinomial logistic regression of BMI trajectory membership on trajectories in work environment dimensions (skill discretion, decision latitude, psychological demands, job insecurity, social support, physical exertion) was then explored. Four latent BMI trajectories corresponding to normal, overweight, obese and very obese BMI values were found. Each trajectory saw an increase in BMI (~2–4 kg/m 2 ) over the 17-year period. A higher decision authority trajectory was associated with lower odds of belonging to the overweight and obese trajectories when compared with the normal weight trajectory. A decreasing physical exertion trajectory was associated with higher odds of belonging to the very obese trajectory when compared with the normal weight trajectory. Four BMI trajectories are present in the Canadian workforce all trajectories saw increased body weight over time. Declining physical exertion and lower decision authority in the work environment over time is associated with increased likelihood of being in overweight and obese trajectories.
The Association between the Perceived Adequacy of Workplace Infection Control Procedures and Personal Protective Equipment with Mental Health Symptoms: A Cross-sectional Survey of Canadian Health-care
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 21-09-2020
Abstract: To examine the relationship between perceived adequacy of personal protective equipment (PPE) and workplace-based infection control procedures (ICP) and mental health symptoms among a s le of health-care workers in Canada within the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic. A convenience-based internet survey of health-care workers in Canada was facilitated through various labor organizations between April 7 and May 13, 2020. A total of 7,298 respondents started the survey, of which 5,988 reported information on the main exposures and outcomes. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2) screener, and depression symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) screener. We assessed the perceived need and adequacy of 8 types of PPE and 10 different ICP. Regression analyses examined the proportion of GAD-2 and PHQ-2 scores of 3 and higher across levels of PPE and ICP, adjusted for a range of demographic, occupation, workplace, and COVID-19-specific measures. A total of 54.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 53.5% to 56.1%) of the s le had GAD-2 scores of 3 and higher, and 42.3% (95% CI, 41.0% to 43.6%) of the s le had PHQ-2 scores of 3 and higher. Absolute differences of 18% (95% CI, 12% to 23%) and 17% (95% CI, 12% to 22%) were observed in the prevalence of GAD-2 scores of 3 and higher between workers whose perceived PPE needs and ICP needs were met compared to those who needs were not met. Differences of between 11% (95% CI, 6% to 17%) and 19% (95% CI, 14% to 24%) were observed in PHQ-2 scores of 3 and higher across these same PPE and ICP categories. Our results suggest strengthening employer-based infection control strategies likely has important implications for the mental health symptoms among health-care workers in Canada.
Gender differences in occupational injury incidence
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-01-2015
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.22414
Abstract: To describe the frequency and distribution of workplace injury claims by gender, and quantify the extent to which observed gender differences in injury claim rates are attributable to differential exposure to work-related factors. WorkSafe Victoria (Australia) workers' compensation data (254,704 claims with affliction onset 2004-2011) were analysed. Claim rates were calculated by combining compensation data with state-wide employment data. Mental disorder claim rates were 1.9 times higher among women physical injury claim rates were 1.4 times higher among men. Adjusting for occupational group reversed the gender difference in musculoskeletal and tendon injury claim rates, i.e., these were more common in women than men after adjusting for occupational exposure. Men had higher rates of physical injury claims than women, but this was mostly attributable to occupational factors. Women had higher rates of mental disorder claims than men this was not fully explained by industry or occupation.
Individual, occupational, and workplace correlates of occupational health and safety vulnerability in a sample of Canadian workers
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-10-2016
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.22535
Changes in work factors and concurrent changes in leisure time physical activity: a 12-year longitudinal analysis
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 27-02-2020
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2019-106158
Abstract: There is a paucity of longitudinal population-based studies examining whether changes in work factors are associated with concurrent changes in leisure time physical activity (LTPA). This study examines this issue using 12 years of longitudinal survey data. Data were drawn from the Canadian National Population Health Survey. The initial analytical s le in 1994 of 6407 working in iduals was followed every 2 years from 2000 to 2010. Seven work factors were measured as independent variables: skill discretion, decision authority, psychological demands, physical exertion, number of jobs, hours at work and shift schedule. LTPA was categorised as inactive, moderately active or active based on metabolic equivalent task values. Fixed-effects multinomial logistic models were used to examine associations between work factors and LTPA controlling for time-invariant effects and adjusted for covariates. Workers with lower skill discretion (OR=0.96 95% CI 0.92 to 0.99), higher psychological demands (OR=0.95 95% CI 0.92 to 0.99), higher physical exertion (OR=0.93 95% CI 0.88 to 0.99) and longer work hours (OR=0.97 95% CI 0.95 to 098) were associated with a lower odds of transitioning from inactive to active and moderately active. There was no evidence of effect modification by age or sex. Results suggest that as participants’ skill discretion decreased, and their physical and psychological demands, and work hours increased, their likelihood of becoming more active and moderately active also decreased, supporting the value of targeting improvements in these work factors for physical activity interventions.
Reducing social inequalities in health: the role of simulation modelling in chronic disease epidemiology to evaluate the impact of population health interventions
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 20-12-2013
The relationship between occupational health and safety vulnerability and workplace injury
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2017
Examining the Impact of Worker and Workplace Factors on Prolonged Work Absences Among Canadian Nurses
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 08-2011
Naturally occurring workplace facilities to increase the leisure time physical activity of workers: A propensity-score weighted population study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2018
Occupational physical activity and cardiovascular disease in the United States
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 18-03-2021
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2020-106948
Abstract: Emerging evidence, predominately from European and Asian countries, describes opposing effects of occupational physical activity (OPA) and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) on cardiovascular health. This analysis examined cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence associated with OPA and LTPA. This cross-sectional analysis of 2015 National Health Interview Survey data (n=16 974) employed logistic regression to estimate odds (OR) of self-reported CVD (coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke or angina) with self-reported total occupational activity (TOA), occupational exertion (OE), occupational standing and walking (OSW) and LTPA. OPA was measured using two questions: ‘How often does your job involve…’ (1) ‘repeated lifting, pushing, pulling or bending?’ (OE) and (2) ‘standing or walking around?’ (OSW) with responses on a 5-item Likert scale (0=never, 4=always). TOA was categorised similarly after summing OE and OSW scores. LTPA was defined as 0, 1–149 or ≥150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous activity. All models adjusted for common socioeconomic variables and additional analyses were stratified by sex, smoking status and LTPA. Odds for CVD were higher when ‘always’ performing TOA (OR 1.99 95% CI 1.12 to 3.53), OE (OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.45 to 3.19) or OSW (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.07 to 3.17) compared with ‘never’. When restricting to never-smokers, odds for CVD were higher when ‘always’ performing TOA (OR 3.00, 95% CI 1.38 to 6.51) and OE (OR 3.00, 95% CI 1.80 to 5.02) versus ‘never’. Associations of high OPA with CVD were equally apparent across sexes, stronger in lower LTPA levels and stronger in never-smokers. While uncontrolled confounding is still possible, even after extensive adjustment, the seemingly paradoxical adverse associations with OPA and CVD should be investigated further.
Education-to-job mismatch and the risk of work injury
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 09-07-2012
DOI: 10.1136/INJURYPREV-2011-040314
Abstract: To examine the association between education-to-job mismatch and work injury. Cross-sectional data from the 2003 and 2005 Canadian Community Health Surveys (n=63,462) were used to examine the relationship between having an educational level that is incongruent with occupational skills requirements and the risk of sustaining a work injury requiring medical attention or a work-related repetitive movement injury (RMI). The effect on injury of the interaction of overeducation with recent immigrant status was also examined. Models were stratified by sex and adjusted for possible confounders. Occupational physical demands were conceptualised as a potential mediating variable. After adjustment for covariates, over-education was associated with work injury and RMI for both sexes. Adjustment for occupational demands attenuated the impact on work injury but did not eliminate the effect on RMI among men. The interaction of over-education and recent immigrant status resulted among men in a fourfold increase in the odds of work injury compared with non-recent immigrants who were not over-educated. After adjustment for occupational demands, over-educated recent immigrant men still had more than a twofold increase in the odds of injury. The risk of sustaining a work injury is higher among those whose education exceeds that of job requirements. These findings highlight the need to address barriers to suitable employment, particularly among recent immigrants.
How Does Perceived Fairness in the Workers’ Compensation Claims Process Affect Mental Health Following a Workplace Injury?
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-07-2019
DOI: 10.1007/S10926-019-09844-3
Abstract: Purpose Mental health concerns are common after a workplace injury, particularly amongst those making a compensation claim. Yet there is a lack of research exploring the effect of modifiable elements of the return-to-work process on mental health. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of perceived injustice in the interactions between claim agents and claimants on mental health symptoms in the 12-month following a musculoskeletal (MSK) workplace injury. Methods A cohort of 585 workers compensation claimants in Victoria, Australia were interviewed three times over a 12-month period following a workplace MSK injury. Perceptions of informational and interpersonal justice in claim agent interactions were measured at baseline, and the Kessler Psychological Distress (K6) scale was administered as a measure of mental health at all three timepoints. Path analyses were performed to examine the direct and indirect effects of perceived justice at baseline on concurrent and future mental health, after accounting for confounding variables. Results Each 1-unit increase in perceptions of informational and interpersonal justice, indicating poorer experiences, was associated with an absolute increase of 0.16 and 0.18 in respective K6 mental health score at baseline, indicating poorer mental health on a 5-point scale. In addition, perceived justice indirectly impacted mental health at 6-month and 12-month, through sustained negative impact from baseline as well as increased risk of disagreements between the claim agent and claimant. Conclusions This finding has highlighted the importance of perceived justice in claim agent interactions with claimants in relation to mental health following a work-related MSK injury.
Artificial intelligence and the work–health interface: A research agenda for a technologically transforming world of work
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-07-2023
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.23517
Abstract: The labor market is undergoing a rapid artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. There is currently limited empirical scholarship that focuses on how AI adoption affects employment opportunities and work environments in ways that shape worker health, safety, well‐being and equity. In this article, we present an agenda to guide research examining the implications of AI on the intersection between work and health. To build the agenda, a full day meeting was organized and attended by 50 participants including researchers from erse disciplines and applied stakeholders. Facilitated meeting discussions aimed to set research priorities related to workplace AI applications and its impact on the health of workers, including critical research questions, methodological approaches, data needs, and resource requirements. Discussions also aimed to identify groups of workers and working contexts that may benefit from AI adoption as well as those that may be disadvantaged by AI. Discussions were synthesized into four research agenda areas: (1) examining the impact of stronger AI on human workers (2) advancing responsible and healthy AI (3) informing AI policy for worker health, safety, well‐being, and equitable employment and (4) understanding and addressing worker and employer knowledge needs regarding AI applications. The agenda provides a roadmap for researchers to build a critical evidence base on the impact of AI on workers and workplaces, and will ensure that worker health, safety, well‐being, and equity are at the forefront of workplace AI system design and adoption.
Gender, Work, and Health
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 29-03-2018
A randomised controlled study to evaluate the effectiveness of targeted occupational health and safety consultation or inspection in Ontario manufacturing workplaces
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 23-08-2012
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2011-100333
Abstract: From 2004 to 2008, the prevention system in Ontario, Canada ran the High Risk Firm Initiative, an injury-experience based targeted consultation or inspection programme. Our objective was to establish whether prevention system targeting of firms was effective in improving injury outcomes. Randomised controlled parallel groups. Population included all manufacturing firms registered with the Ontario Workplace Safety & Insurance Board in 2005. Firms ranked between the 2nd and 10th percentile on a composite measure of occupational health and safety performance were randomised to three study arms in 2006: targeted for Health & Safety Association (HSA) consultation, targeted for Ministry of Labour (MOL) inspection, or services as usual. Data included firm characteristics (sector, size, years in business, region, branches), work injury claims 2002-2008 and measures of consulting and inspecting activity. Negative binomial generalised estimating equations modelled claim and disability day rates by study arm and year, controlling for firm characteristics. Among 2153 firms, firm characteristics and 2002-2005 rates of work injury claims and disability days were similar across arms. Firm outcomes were significantly different from year to year, but study arm by year interactions were insignificant indicating similar trends for all three study arms. 83% of HSA targeted firms were contacted and 63% engaged while 75% of MOL targeted firms were inspected with orders written in 56%. Consultation and enforcement programmes as implemented were not sufficient to reduce work injury outcomes over 21 month follow-up. Lack of benefit could be due to non-specific firm selection methods, limited firm participation in interventions, low intervention intensity or insensitivity of available outcomes.
Trial by fire: a multivariate examination of the relation between job tenure and work injuries
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 2006
Time allocation between work and recreation and the associated injury risks among young people
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2007
DOI: 10.1016/J.JSR.2007.01.009
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between overall risk of injury and time use patterns between work and active recreation among adolescents and young adults. Using a representative s le of 9,795 Canadians aged 15-24 years, a multivariate logistic regression on the likelihood of any medically attended injury was conducted, including sociodemographic, in idual, and time factors. Young people who engaged in a combination of high work and high activity hours were twice as likely to sustain a medically attended injury compared to those who worked low hours, but did not participate in any recreational activity. Those respondents who were not in school had a 43% increase in injury risk compared to full-time students. Our findings suggest that injury risk was not a simple function of fatigue and cumulative exposure time. Our findings suggest the importance of considering time use and the associated injury risk tradeoffs. Relevant to state and federal work safety policy makers, our findings suggest the importance of understanding where youth might otherwise spend their time if constraint were placed on their employment opportunities, and the associated injury risk tradeoffs must be taken into consideration.
Occupational injury risk among ambulance officers and paramedics compared with other healthcare workers in Victoria, Australia: analysis of workers’ compensation claims from 2003 to 2012
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 16-03-2015
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2014-102574
Abstract: To investigate occupational risk of musculoskeletal (MSK) and mental injury among ambulance officers and paramedics, and compare with nurse professionals, social and welfare professionals, and carers and aides in Victoria, Australia, using workers' compensation (WC) claims statistics. Data were retrieved from the Victorian Compensation Research Database (CRD). Analysis was restricted to claims received between 1 July 2003 and 30 June 2012. WC claim rates were calculated using labour force statistics, and expressed per 1000 full-time equivalent workers. Adjusted HRs with 95% CIs for injury risk were estimated using multivariable regression modelling. Ambulance officers and paramedics had an upward trend in WC claim rates for all injuries and the highest rates for MSK and mental injury, in comparison with other healthcare workers during the study period. In the 2009-2012 time period, ambulance officers and paramedics' risk of lower back MSK and mental injury was approximately 13 times higher than nurse professionals, HRs 57.6 vs 4.4 and 17.77 vs 1.29, respectively. Social and welfare professionals had the second highest risk of mental injury, which was up to threefold greater than in nurses. Carers and aides and nurse professionals had similar HRs overall for all injury categories. Differential patterns of MSK and mental injury exist among healthcare occupational groups in Victoria, Australia. Given the significant findings, especially the high risks among ambulance personnel, future research should focus on the circumstances of injury to improve understanding and inform prevention programmes.
The relationship between worker, occupational and workplace characteristics and whether an injury requires time off work: A matched case‐control analysis in Ontario, Canada
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-01-2015
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.22420
Abstract: The objective of this study was to examine in idual, occupational, and workplace level factors associated with time loss following a similar injury. Seven thousand three hundred and forty-eight workers' compensation claims that did not require time off work were matched with up to four claims that required time off work on the event, nature, and part of body injured as well as injury year. Conditional logistic regression models examined in idual, occupational, and workplace level factors that were associated with the likelihood of not requiring time off work. Employees from firms with higher premium rates were more likely to report no time loss from work and workers in more physically demanding occupations were less likely to report no time loss from work. We observed no association between age or gender and the probability of a time loss claim submission. Our results suggest that insurance costs are an incentive for workplaces to adopt policies and practices that minimize time loss following a work injury.
Association between high ambient temperature and acute work-related injury: A case-crossover analysis using workers’ compensation claims data
Publisher: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
Date: 09-11-2017
DOI: 10.5271/SJWEH.3602
Abstract: Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the association between high ambient temperature and acute work-related injury, expanding on previous research in this area. Specifically we examined the relationship between both daytime and overnight temperatures and injury risk and disentangled physically demanding occupational exposures from exposure to outdoor working conditions. Methods A time-stratified case-crossover study design was used to examine the association between ambient temperatures and acute work-related injuries in Melbourne, Australia, 2002-2012, using workers' compensation claims to identify work-related injuries. The relationship was assessed for both daily maximum and daily minimum temperatures using conditional logistic regression. Results Significant positive associations between temperature and acute work-related injury were seen for younger workers (<25 years), with the odds of injury increasing by 1% for each 1 °C increase in daily minimum temperature, and by 0.8% for each 1 °C increase in daily maximum temperature. Statistically significant associations were also observed between daily maximum temperature and risk of injury for workers employed in the highest strength occupations and for male workers, and between daily minimum temperature and injury for all cases combined, female workers, workers aged 25-35 and ≥55 years, "light" and "limited" physical demand groups, and "in vehicle or cab" and "regulated indoor climate" workplace exposure groups. Conclusions Young workers, male workers and workers engaged in heavy physical work are at increased risk of injury on hot days, and a wider range of worker subgroups are vulnerable to injury following a warm night. In light of climate change projections, this information is important for informing injury prevention strategies.
Are age‐related differences in the consequence of work injury greater when occupational physical demands are high?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-01-2014
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.22303
Abstract: To examine if age differences in the consequences of work injury are exacerbated when occupational physical demands are higher. A secondary analysis of workers' compensation claims in British Columbia (N = 373,672). Regression models examined the relationship between age and health care expenditures, days of wage replacement and the occurrence of long-term-disability following a work-related injury in occupations with lower and higher physical demands. Models were adjusted for in idual and injury related covariates. Older age and higher occupational physical demands were associated with worse work-injury outcomes. The relationship between age and each outcome was not exacerbated when occupational physical demands were higher compared to when they were lower. Counter to our hypotheses age differences in health care expenditures were smaller among women in more demanding occupations. In this study, we found no evidence that the relationship between age and the consequences of work injury is exacerbated when physical occupational demands are high.
Differences between men and women in their risk of work injury and disability: A systematic review
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-05-2022
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.23364
Abstract: Health responses associated with occupational exposures can vary between men and women. This study reviewed the work injury and disability risks associated with similar types of occupational exposures for men and women within and across occupations. A systematic review was undertaken of observational studies published between 2009 and 2019. Studies were required to empirically compare men and women for associations between occupational exposures and work injury or disability outcomes. Included studies were appraised for methodological quality and medium to high rated studies were compared for risk differences between men and women. Of 14,006 records identified, 440 articles were assessed for methodological quality, and 33 medium to high rated studies were included and reviewed. Among all occupations, the association between physical exposures, job demands, noise, and repetitive tasks, and injury risk were stronger among men. The relationship between repetitive tasks and sickness absence was stronger among women. Most studies examining psychological exposures found no risk differences for men and women across occupations. Men were at higher injury risk in certain occupations in primary and secondary industry sectors involving physical exposures and some chemical/biological exposures. Women were at higher injury risk for the physical demands and repetitive tasks of health care and aluminum production occupations. This review found that men and women can have different work injury and disability risks, both across and within the same occupations, for some physical exposures and to a lesser extent for some chemical and biological exposures. These differences might be a result of occupation‐specific task differences.
The Prevalence and Incidence of Work Absenteeism Involving Neck Pain
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 02-2008
How Much do Preexisting Chronic Conditions Contribute to Age Differences in Health Care Expenditures After a Work-related Musculoskeletal Injury?
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 2014
Return to work outcomes for workers with mental health conditions: A retrospective cohort study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.INJURY.2015.09.011
Abstract: The aims of this study were to describe predictors of sustained return to work (RTW) among a cohort of workers with compensated work-related mental health conditions (MHCs) and to examine predictors of subsequent absences due to the same condition. This study was a retrospective analysis of compensation claims data in Victoria, Australia. We selected workers with an accepted wage replacement claim due to a work-related MHC from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2009, with two years of follow-up data. We identified 8358 workers meeting our inclusion criteria. The median age of workers was 44 years (Interquartile range (IQR): 36-51) and 56% were female. In a multivariable Cox regression analysis, older age, being from a small organisation, working in some specific industry segments, consulting a psychiatrist or psychologist, using medications, and having a previous claim were all associated with a delayed RTW. Workers experiencing work pressure, assault/workplace violence or other mental stress factors, working in the public administration and safety industry and having a medical incapacity certification between 3-4 days and 5-7 days had a higher rate of multiple RTW attempts. This study identified a number of risk factors associated with a delayed RTW and multiple attempts at RTW. Predictors may help identify high-risk groups and facilitate the RTW process of workers with MHCs.
Authors' Response to: Moderate alcohol intake during pregnancy and risk of fetal death
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 13-10-2012
DOI: 10.1093/IJE/DYS155
Perceived Adequacy of Infection Control Practices and Symptoms of Anxiety Among In-Person Elementary School Educators in Ontario
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 06-09-2022
DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002693
Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the association between the perceived adequacy of infection control practices (ICPs) and symptoms of anxiety among educators in Ontario, Canada. Data from 4947 educators were collected in December 2020. Modified Poisson models assessed the association between adequacy of ICPs and moderate or severe anxiety symptoms, adjusting for a range of covariates. Approximately 60% of respondents reported moderate or severe anxiety symptoms. Two-thirds (66.5%) of the s le had less than half of their ICP needs met. Respondents with less than half their ICP needs met were more than three times more likely to have moderate or severe anxiety, compared with respondents with their ICP needs met. Findings highlight the importance of adequate administrative and engineering controls in schools, not only to minimize risk of infection, but also for educator's mental health.
Is any job better than no job? Labor market experiences and depressive symptoms in people living with HIV
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-03-2015
DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2015.1015479
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the psychosocial work environment and labor market experiences (including unemployment) on mental health among adults living with HIV. We used data provided by 538 participants at clinical and community sites across Ontario, Canada. Generalized estimating equation models showed that employment was associated with lower depressive symptoms. For employed participants, adverse psychosocial work conditions, specifically job insecurity, psychological demands, and decision authority were associated with depressive symptoms. For the entire s le, the number of adverse psychosocial work conditions was associated with higher depressive symptoms while participants working in poor quality jobs reported similar levels of depressive symptoms than those who were unemployed or not in the labor force. This study showed that poor quality employment (as assessed by having a high number of adverse psychosocial work exposures) was associated with a similar level of depressive symptoms as unemployment, suggesting that "bad jobs" may not offer the same mental health benefits as "good jobs." Policies to improve employment outcomes should take the quality of employment into account to maximize mental health benefits as better employment may lead to better mental health.
Examining the relationship between the demand-control model and incident myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure in a representative sample of the employed women and men in Ontario, Canada,
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-08-2020
Health and Occupational Outcomes Among Injured, Nonstandard Shift Workers
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 11-2015
Cohort profile: the Ontario Life After Workplace Injury Study (OLAWIS)
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 09-2021
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2020-048143
Abstract: The substantial economic burden of work-related injury and illness, borne by workers, employers and social security programmes, is primarily attributed to the durations of work disability among workers whose recovery requires a period of absence from work, with the majority of costs arising from the minority of workers with the longest duration absences. The objective of the Ontario Life After Workplace Injury Study is to describe the long-term health and labour market outcomes of workers disabled by work injury or illness after they are no longer receiving benefits or services from the work disability insurance authority. Workers disabled by a work-related injury or illness were recruited from a s le frame of disability benefit claimants with overs ling of claimants with longer benefit durations. Characteristics of workers, their employers and claimant benefits were obtained from baseline administrative data. Interviews completed at 18 months post injury (T1) and to be completed at 36 months (T2) measure return-to-work and work status income physical and mental health case manager and healthcare provider interactions and employer accommodations supporting return-to-work and sociodemographic characteristics. Of eligible claimants, 40% (1132) participated in the T1 interview, with 96% consenting to participate in the T2 interview. Preliminary descriptive analyses of T1 data have been completed. The median age was 50 years and 56% were male. At 18 months following injury, 61% were employed by their at-injury employer, 16% had changed employment and 23% were not working. Past-year prescription opioid use was prevalent (34%), as was past-year cannabis use (31%). Longer duration claimants had poorer function, recovery and health and more adverse labour market outcomes. Multivariate analyses to identify modifiable predictors of adverse health and labour market outcomes and a follow-up survey of 96% of participants consenting to follow-up at 36 months are planned.
For better or worse? Changing shift schedules and the risk of work injury among men and women
Publisher: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
Date: 17-09-2014
DOI: 10.5271/SJWEH.3454
Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the risk of work injury associated with changes in shift schedules and identify whether work injury risks differ between men and women. Longitudinal panels from the Survey of Labor and Income Dynamics were used to describe work schedule patterns over a 6-year period among a representative s le of Canadian workers (N=19 131). Cox regression was used to estimate the risk of work injury among workers who (i) switched from regular day to nonstandard shifts, (ii) switched from nonstandard to day shifts and (iii) remained in nonstandard shifts, compared with (iv) those who worked regular day shifts only. Gender differences were examined in separate stratified analyses. Adjustments were made for potential respondent and occupational confounders. Increased injury risk was observed among those who: switched from day to nonstandard shifts [hazard ratio (HR) 2.60, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.79-3.77], switched from nonstandard to days (HR 2.36, 95% CI 1.62-3.49), and worked nonstandard shifts only (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.23-1.70). For women, work injury risk was higher among those who switched shifts (days to nonstandard HR 3.10, 95% CI 1.76-5.46 nonstandard to days HR 2.31, 95% CI 1.36-3.91), or worked nonstandard shifts only (HR 1.85, 95% CI 1.44-2.37) compared to day schedules. However, for men the risk of injury was elevated only among those who switched shifts (days to nonstandard HR 2.18, 95% CI 1.35-3.51 nonstandard to days HR 2.38, 95% CI 1.41-3.95). The only significant difference between men and women were among nonstandard shift workers. Our results suggest that changing shift types may increase work injury risk among men and women, and that the risk remains increased among women who work nonstandard shifts for a prolonged period of time. This highlights the need for awareness and implementation of health and safety programs when workers initially change shift schedules and on a regular basis to maintain worker health.
Trends in the Health Care Use and Expenditures Associated With No-Lost-Time Claims in Ontario
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 02-2011
Examining the relationships between job control and health status: a path analysis approach
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 2008
Abstract: To examine the pathways through which job control affects health status to examine if the effects of job control on health status are attenuated by including other measures associated with lower socioeconomic status, and to examine if the relationship between job control and health status is consistent across socioeconomic status groups. A prospective observational cohort study over eight years (1994-2002). 4886 Respondents aged 25-60 years, who were non-self-employed labour force participants, working more than 20 hours per week, without physical or mental limitations restricting the type or amount of work they could do at baseline. After longitudinal attrition, the remaining study s le was 3411 (87% of the original study s le who did not die or become pregnant during the survey period). Low job control in 1994 was associated with worse than expected self-rated health in 2002, both directly and indirectly via a lower physical activity level in 1996. Adjustment for other factors associated with low socioeconomic status did not attenuate these relationships to a large extent. No differences were found in the effects of job control on physical activity or health status between socioeconomic groups (high and low education and high and low household income). The inclusion of other factors associated with lower socioeconomic status did not attenuate the direct and indirect effects of job control on health status. The finding that low job control is associated with lower physical activity levels deserves further investigation, given the increasing concern about rising levels of obesity in the developed world.
Antecedents of Work Disability Absence Among Young People: A Prospective Study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2007
DOI: 10.1016/J.ANNEPIDEM.2007.04.004
Abstract: This study examined the relative contribution of in idual factors, job characteristics, and temporal factors to the likelihood of lost days of work due to a work-related disability or illness among Canadians 16 to 24 years old. Using a prospective Canadian survey with up to 6 years of follow-up, the job-based analyses included 45,125 job episodes generated from a representative s le of young workers. A hazard model on work disability absence included the following predictors: age, gender, physical demands of the job (manual, nonmanual, and mixed), hours worked, highest education achieved, multiple concurrent job, job tenure, school activity, and living in a rural or urban area. The overall 1-week work disability absence rate was 0.78 per 1000 person-months. In the multivariate model, young workers holding manual jobs were 2.65 times more likely to have a work disability absence compared with young workers with nonmanual jobs. Also, those with less than a high school education were almost 3 times more likely to have a work disability absence. Other demographic factors such as gender were not independently associated with work disability absences. This prospective study finds that job characteristics are the predominant risk factors for work disability absences for young workers. Young workers with less education appear to be particularly vulnerable, possibly because of inadequate job skills or particularly dangerous job tasks.
Examining job tenure and lost-time claim rates in Ontario, Canada, over a 10-year period, 1999–2008
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 02-11-2012
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2012-100743
Abstract: We sought to examine the association between job tenure and lost-time claim rates over a 10-year period in Ontario, Canada. Data were obtained from workers' compensation records and labour force survey data from 1999 to 2008. Claim rates were calculated for gender, age, industry, occupation, year and job tenure group. A multivariate analysis and examination of effect modification were performed. Differences in injury event and source of injury were also examined by job tenure. Lost-time claim rates were significantly higher for workers with shorter job tenure, regardless of other factors. Claim rates for new workers differed by gender, age and industry, but remained relatively constant at an elevated rate over the observed time period. This study is the first to examine lost-time claim rates by job tenure over a time period during which overall claim rates generally declined. Claim rates did not show a convergence by job tenure. Findings highlight that new workers are still at elevated risk, and suggest the need for improved training, reducing exposures among new workers, promoting permanent employment, and monitoring work injury trends and risk factors.
Age, occupational demands and the risk of serious work injury
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 28-08-2014
Abstract: Interest in the relationship between age and serious work injury is increasing, given the ageing of the workforce in many industrialized economies. To examine if the relationship between age and risk of serious musculoskeletal injury differs when the physical demands of work are higher from those when they are lower. A secondary analysis of workers' compensation claims in the State of Victoria, Australia, combined with estimates of the insured labour force. We focused on musculoskeletal claims, which required 10 days of absence or health care expenditures beyond a pecuniary threshold. Regression models examined the relationship between age and claim-risk across workers with different occupational demands, as well as the relationship between occupational demands and musculoskeletal claim-risk across different age groups. Older age and greater physical demands at work were associated with an increased risk of musculoskeletal claims. In models stratified by occupational demands, we observed the relationship between age and claim-risk was steeper when occupational demands were higher. We also observed that the relationship between occupational demands and risk of work injury claim peaked among workers aged 25-44, attenuating among those aged 45 and older. This study's results suggest that although older workers and occupations with higher demands should be the targets of primary preventive efforts related to serious musculoskeletal injuries, there may also be gains in targeting middle-aged workers in the most physically demanding occupations.
Examining the associations between physical work demands and work injury rates between men and women in Ontario, 1990-2000
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 09-2004
Migraine and air pollution: A systematic review
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2023
DOI: 10.1111/HEAD.14632
Gender differences in injuries attributed to workplace violence in Ontario 2002–2015
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 29-08-2018
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2018-105152
Abstract: The aim of the study is to compare trends in the incidence of injury resulting from workplace violence for men and women at the population level over the period 2002–2015 among working-age adults in Ontario, Canada. Administrative records of injury resulting from workplace violence were obtained from two population-based data sources in Ontario: 21 228 lost-time workers’ compensation claims (2002–2015) and 13 245 records of non-scheduled emergency department visits (2004–2014), where the main problem was attributed to a workplace violence event. Denominator counts were estimated from labour force surveys conducted by Statistics Canada, stratified by age and sex. Age-standardised rates were calculated using the direct method. Over the observation period, workplace violence incidence rates were in the range of 0.2–0.5 per 1000 full-time equivalent workers. Incidence rates of injury due to workplace violence among women increased over the observation period, with an average annual per cent change (APC) of 2.8% (95% CI 1.7% to 3.9%) in compensation claims and 2.7% (95% CI 1.0% to 4.4%) in emergency department visits. In contrast, there was no change in workplace violence injury rates among men in compensation claims (APC: −0.2% (95% CI −1.2% to 0.9%)) or in emergency department visits (APC: −0.5% (95% CI −1.6% to 0.6%)). A pronounced increase in workplace violence injury rates was observed in the education sector with an APC=7.0% (95% CI 5.6% to 8.5%) for women and an APC=4.1% (95% CI 0.9% to 7.4%) for men. Differences in the risk of injury resulting from workplace violence for women relative to men in Ontario between 2002 and 2015 were verified by two data sources. The relative risk of violence for men and women also differed across industries.
Do regional labor market conditions matter for temporary work disability duration? A multilevel analysis of workers' compensation claims in five Canadian provinces
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-05-2023
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.23489
Abstract: Research has shown how regionally varying labor market conditions are associated with differences in work disability duration. However, the majority of these studies have not used multilevel models to appropriately account for the hierarchical clustering of in iduals nested within contextual units (e.g., regions). Studies that have used multilevel models have focused on privately insured workers or on disability not specifically caused by work‐related injury or illness. Using claims data from five Canadian provincial workers' compensation systems, linear random‐intercept models were used to estimate how much variance in temporary work disability duration ('work disability duration' for brevity) for work‐related injuries and musculoskeletal disorders was due to differences between economic regions, what economic region‐level labor market characteristics were associated with work disability duration, and what characteristics best explained economic region differences in work disability duration. Economic region characteristics, such as the unemployment rate and proportion of goods‐producing employment, were independently associated with in idual‐level work disability duration. However, economic region variation only accounted for 1.5%–2% of total variation in work disability duration. The majority (71%) of economic region‐level variation was explained by the provincial jurisdiction where the worker lived and was injured. Regional variation tended to be greater for female workers than males. The findings suggest that while regional labor market conditions matter for work disability duration, system‐level differences in workers' compensation and health care are more important factors influencing work disability duration. Furthermore, while this study includes both temporary and permanent disability claims, the work disability duration measure only captures temporary disability.
Male/Female Differences in the Impact of Caring for Elderly Relatives on Labor Market Attachment and Hours of Work: 1997–2015
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 08-04-2019
Abstract: Using representative s les of the Canadian labor market (N = 5,871,850), this study examined male/female differences in the impact of informal care on labor market attachment, and the extent to which differences in labor market participation and employment relationships explained these differences over a 19-year period. We examined four outcomes related to labor market impacts associated with caring for elderly relatives: leaving the labor market, working part-time, taking time off work in the previous week, and the amount of time taken off from work. Regression models examined differences between men and women, and the extent to which gendered labor market roles accounted for these differences. We observed an increase in all labor market outcomes over the study period. Women were more likely than men to experience each outcome. Adjusting for labor market role variables did not change these estimates appreciably. After adjustment for differences in labor market roles women were 73% more likely to leave the labor market, more than 5 times more likely to work part-time, and twice as likely to take time off in the last week due to informal care. Further, for temporary absences to provide care, women took an average of 160 min more per week than men. Taken together, these results suggest an increasing impact of informal care on labor market participation in Canada between 1997 and 2005, and it remains gendered.
Disability Management Outcomes in the Ontario Long-Term Care Sector
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-05-2010
DOI: 10.1007/S10926-010-9248-2
Abstract: Optimal disability management practices supporting early and safe return-to-work involve the workplace adoption of formal policies and procedures to ensure the quality of disability management outcomes. In the Canadian province of Ontario, there are approximately 60,000 health care workers in 600 licensed facilities providing long-term residential care to approximately 75,000 elderly residents. Workers in this sector are exposed to high biomechanical demands arising from care-giving tasks and have a substantial risk of work-related disability. Over the period 2000-2006, many long-term care facilities in Ontario adopted disability management practices that encourage modified work arrangements. The objective of this study was to describe differences in modified work arrangements and disability outcomes in long-term care facilities in Ontario. Measures of disability episode outcomes are described for a representative s le of 32 Ontario long-term care facilities for two consecutive years 2005 and 2006. Data were obtained from a questionnaire survey of facilities, a survey of a representative s le of caregivers and administrative records from the provincial workers' compensation agency. A total of 28,747 days of disability attributed to work-related conditions were experienced by 3,271 full-time equivalent staff in 2005 (28,034 days in 2006). Average total disability days were 922 per 100 full-time equivalent staff in 2005 and 889 per 100 full-time equivalent staff in 2006. Disability compensation expenditures, measured as wage replacement benefits received by disabled workers, were estimated to be $72,332 per 100 full-time equivalent staff in 2005 and $64,619 per 100 full-time equivalent staff in 2006. On average, approximately 60% of all disability days were managed by modified duty arrangements and the proportion of total disability days managed by modified duty arrangements for each facility was correlated between the two observation years. Across facilities, there was no evidence that modified duty arrangements were associated with lower disability compensation expenditures and there was mixed evidence that modified duty was associated with a lower burden of disability. In this setting, disability days managed by modified duty arrangements were not accurately documented in worker's compensation claim records.
Potentially Misleading Conclusions: Job Strain and Health Behaviors
Publisher: American Public Health Association
Date: 03-2014
An ecological study of regional variation in work injuries among young workers
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-05-2007
Examining the impact of occupational health and safety vulnerability on injury claim reporting in three Canadian provinces
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-02-2020
DOI: 10.1002/AJIM.23094
Association between psychosocial work conditions and latent alcohol consumption trajectories among men and women over a 16-year period in a national Canadian sample
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 28-11-2017
Abstract: It is unclear how psychosocial working conditions influence future alcohol consumption. Using group-based trajectory modelling, this study aimed to determine: the number of latent alcohol consumption trajectories over 16 years in a representative s le of the Canadian workforce the association between psychosocial working conditions and longitudinal alcohol consumption and if the association between psychosocial work factors and longitudinal alcohol consumption differed among men and women. We included 5458 employed adults from the longitudinal Canadian National Population Health Survey. Average daily alcohol consumption was measured every 2 years from 1994 to 2010. Psychosocial work factors were measured in 1994 using the Job Content Questionnaire. Group-based trajectory modelling was used to derive the appropriate number of alcohol behaviour trajectories. The association between psychosocial work factors and alcohol trajectory membership was estimated using multinomial logistic regression. Models were stratified by sex to determine if these associations differed among men and women. Three alcohol consumption trajectories were present: non-drinkers, light drinkers (0.5–1 drinks/day) and moderate drinkers (2–3 drinks/day). Higher workplace physical exertion and lower social support levels were associated with membership in the moderate drinking trajectory. Among men, lower psychological demands and higher physical exertion levels were associated with membership in the moderate drinking trajectory. Among women, lower levels of physical exertion were associated with membership in the light drinking trajectory, and higher psychological demand levels were associated with membership in the moderate drinking trajectory. Our study suggests that workplace physical exertion and psychological demands may be associated with different alcohol consumption trajectories among men and women.
Gender differences in the relationship between shiftwork and work injury: Examining the influence of dependent children
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 08-2013
Workplace mental health: Developing an integrated intervention approach
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-05-2014
Cannabis use and workplace cannabis availability, perceptions and policies among Canadian workers: a comparison before and after the legalisation of non-medical cannabis
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 18-07-2022
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2022-108316
Abstract: Little data exist examining the impact of non-medical (recreational) cannabis legalisation among a working population. The objective was to compare cannabis use patterns and workplace risk perceptions, cannabis availability and workplace use policies before and almost 1 year after legalisation in Canadian workers. Two overlapping cross-sectional s les of Canadian workers were surveyed 4 months before legalisation (time 1 (T1), n=2011) and 9–11 months after legalisation (time 2 (T2), n=4032), gathering information on cannabis use (overall and workplace use), workers’ perceptions regarding risks of workplace use, availability of cannabis at work and awareness of workplace substance use policies. The marginal distributions of these variables at T1 and T2 were compared, adjusting for sociodemographic, work and health and lifestyle factors. Cannabis use status changed from prelegalisation to postlegalisation (p .0001), with fewer respondents reporting former use (ie, more than 1 year ago 40.4% at T1, 33.0% at T2) and a greater proportion of workers reporting past-year use (30.4% at T1, 39.3% at T2). Never use remained stable (29.2% at T1, 27.6% at T2). Workplace cannabis use also remained stable (9.4% at T1, 9.1% at T2 p=0.4580). At T1, 62.7% of respondents reported being aware of their workplace having a substance use policy, increasing to 79.0% at T2 (p .0001). Small magnitude changes occurred in perceptions of risk and workplace availability. Results point to a lack of substantive changes in the short-term from prelegalisation to postlegalisation. Longer-term data among workers are needed given the evolving nature of this legislative policy.
What Factors Explain Recent Increases in Husband-to-Wife Violence in Nigerian Households? A Decomposition Analysis of Three Waves of Cross-Sectional Data from 2008 to 2018
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-09-2023
The Relationship Between Occupational Standing and Sitting and Incident Heart Disease Over a 12-Year Period in Ontario, Canada
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 11-08-2017
DOI: 10.1093/AJE/KWX298
Working in hot weather: a review of policies and guidelines to minimise the risk of harm to Australian workers
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 18-11-2016
Comparing the Relationship Between Age and Length of Disability Across Common Chronic Conditions
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 05-2016
Parallel latent trajectories of mental health and personal earnings among 16- to 20 year-old US labor force participants: a 20-year longitudinal study
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-12-2022
Combined Associations of Work and Leisure Time Physical Activity on Incident Diabetes Risk
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2021
Longitudinal examination of temporality in the association between chronic disease diagnosis and changes in work status and hours worked
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 30-09-2016
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2016-103569
Abstract: To examine the longitudinal relationship between incidence of diagnosed chronic disease and work status and hours worked. A dynamic cohort approach was taken to construct our study s le using the Canadian National Population Health Survey. Participant inclusion criteria included being employed and without a chronic health condition in the survey cycle prior to diagnosis, and participation in consecutive surveys following diagnosis. Each respondent was matched with up to 5 respondents without a diagnosed health condition. The direct and indirect associations between chronic disease and work status and hours worked following diagnosis were examined using probit and linear regression path models. Separate models were developed for arthritis, back problems, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. We identified 799 observations with a diagnosis of arthritis, 858 with back pain, 178 with diabetes, 569 with hypertension and 163 with heart disease, which met our selection criteria. An examination of total effects at time 1 and time 2 showed that, excluding hypertension, chronic disease diagnosis was related to work loss. The time 2 effect of chronic disease diagnosis on work loss was mediated through time 1 work status. With the exception of heart disease, an incident case of chronic disease was not related to changes in work hours among observations with continuous work participation. Chronic disease can result in work loss following diagnosis. Research is required to understand how modifying occupational conditions may benefit employment immediately after diagnosis.
Evaluation of the measurement properties of the Epworth sleepiness scale: A systematic review
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.SMRV.2013.08.002
Abstract: To examine published evidence on the psychometric properties of the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) for describing the level of daytime sleepiness (DS) in adults. Articles were located on MEDLINE and EMBASE. Psychometric properties were appraised using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist. We found thirty-five studies evaluating psychometric properties of the ESS in adults. Of these, 27 studies examined construct validity, 14 - known-group validity, 8 - internal consistency and 4 - test-retest reliability. Study quality ranged from excellent to poor the majority being fair. Internal consistency by Cronbach's alphas was good (0.73-0.86). There is little available evidence on test-retest reliability. Pooled correlations of the ESS with other constructs varied: from moderate (the maintenance of wakefulness test ρ = -0.43), to weak (the multiple sleep latency test ρ = -0.27, and sleep apnea-related variables ρ from 0.11 to 0.23). Although ESS scores varied significantly across groups of subjects with known differences in DS, not all differences were clinically important. There have been relatively few high quality studies on the ESS psychometric properties. The internal consistency of the ESS suggests that this instrument can be recommended for group but not in idual-level comparisons. Correlations with other measures of DS were stronger than with sleep apnea-related or general health measures, but still lower than expected. Further studies are required in the areas of test-retest reliability of the ESS.
Value of occupational health research
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 03-09-2019
Working hours and mental health in Australia: Evidence from an Australian population-based cohort, 2001-2012
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 22-06-2015
DOI: 10.1136/OEMED-2014-102791
Abstract: This paper assesses the impact of working less than or more than standard full-time hours on mental health, as well as possible differences in this relationship by gender and skill level. The study design was a longitudinal cohort with 12 annual waves of data collection over the period 2001-2012, yielding a s le of 90,637 observations from 18,420 people. Fixed effects within-person regression was used to control for time invariant confounding. The Mental Component Summary of the Short Form 36 (SF-36) measure was used as the primary outcome measure. Working hours over the preceding year was measured in five categories with standard full-time hours (35-40 h/week) as the reference. Results indicated that when respondents were working 49-59 h (-0.52, 95% CI -0.74 to -0.29, p<0.001) and 60 h or more (-0.47, 95% CI -0.77 to -0.16, p=0.003) they had worse mental health than when they were working 35-40 h/week (reference). The difference in mental health when working 49-59 h was greater for women than for men. There were greater declines in mental health in relation to longer working hours among persons in higher compared to lower occupational skill levels. Study results suggest the need for employers and governments to regulate working hours to reduce the burden of mental ill health in the working population.
Workplace climate, employee actions, work injury and structural equation modelling
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 10-03-2015
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End Date: 2010
Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
View Funded ActivityEvaluating The Pathways Linking Adverse Psychosocial Work Factors To Diabetes And Cardiovascular Diseases Among Men And Women - A 16-year Prospective Study Among 5,700 Canadian Workers
Start Date: 2016
End Date: 2019
Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
View Funded ActivityExamining Gender/sex Differences In The Relationships Between Work Stress And Disease, Work Injury Risk, And The Consequences Of Work Injury
Start Date: 2014
End Date: 2019
Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
View Funded ActivityEvaluating The Impact Of Mandatory Awareness Training On OH&S Vulnerability In Ontario
Start Date: 2015
End Date: 2016
Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
View Funded ActivityKnowledge Exchange Forum On Immigration, Work And Health In British Columbia
Start Date: 2009
End Date: 2009
Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
View Funded ActivityGeographic Variation In Occupational Injury And Its Correlates Among Canadian Men And Women
Start Date: 2009
End Date: 2009
Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
View Funded ActivityEmployment Needs And Experiences Of Workers With Arthritis And Diabetes: Keeping The Boom(ers) In The Labour Market.
Start Date: 2013
End Date: 2015
Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
View Funded ActivityUnderstanding Why Gender And Age Differences Exist In Return-to-work Following A Musculoskeletal Injury
Start Date: 2014
End Date: 2016
Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
View Funded ActivityIntegrated Workplace Mental Health Promotion For The Prevention And Management Of Mental Illness In The Workplace
Start Date: 2013
End Date: 2017
Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council
View Funded ActivityDiscovery Projects - Grant ID: DP190102473
Start Date: 04-2019
End Date: 12-2022
Amount: $479,606.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityDiscovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101580
Start Date: 01-2012
End Date: 12-2014
Amount: $375,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityLinkage Projects - Grant ID: LP130100091
Start Date: 04-2014
End Date: 10-2017
Amount: $416,282.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityLinkage Projects - Grant ID: LP100100449
Start Date: 2010
End Date: 12-2013
Amount: $340,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity