Work and health within broader societal context
Work has a role to play in producing and maintaining inequalities in population health. But broader conditions outside work—such as economic conditions, housing affordability and access to childcare—can impact employment quality and worker health and safety. Similarly, social and income support systems can shape the experiences of workers facing a job interruption, and accessibility legislation can impact employment opportunities for persons living with disabilities. Our research explores how workers and workplaces are affected by changes to labour, social and health laws and policies, as well as by macro economic and societal conditions.
Latest findings
Fatal drug overdoses more common among lower-income and unemployed Canadians
A new IWH study looked at how sociodemographic factors measured by the Canadian census were linked with drug overdose deaths.
AI and job quality project gathers partners to develop roadmap
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more integrated into workplaces, a new IWH project wants to ensure that job quality—and the health and safety of workers—remains a top priority.
Do women and men have different risks of getting an infectious disease from work?
According to an IWH systematic review of studies published between 2016 and 2021, women and men in the same jobs have similar risks of getting an infectious disease from work—with a few exceptions.In the first systematic review on racial and ethnic inequities in return to work, IWH found strong evidence that non-white workers are less likely than white workers to return to work following an injury or illness—and moderate evidence that Black workers face pronounced barriers.
