Dr. Arif Jetha
Dr. Arif Jetha is associate scientific director and scientist at the Institute for Work & Health. He is also an associate professor (status-only) at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
Jetha earned his PhD in behavioural sciences and public health at the University of Toronto, and an MSc in health community and development from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He also held post-doctoral fellowships at the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety and the Institute for Work & Health.
Jetha’s program of research aims at understanding how sociopolitical, technological, environmental and economic changes that characterize the future of work affect the health and employment participation of vulnerable workers including young workers and persons living with disabilities. He is specifically interested in the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on the health, safety and well-being of workers.
To pursue his research program, Jetha takes a systems perspective and uses a mixed-methods research approach. He collaborates closely with diverse research partners to produce findings that can inform policy and practice.
“The world of work is changing at a rapid rate. Studying the future of work allows me to understand the emerging challenges facing workers and create an evidence base that can be used to inform the design of policies and programs that are resilient to change and protect the most vulnerable.”
— Dr. Arif Jetha
Projects
- Transitioning to the future of work: an intersectional study of vulnerable youth and young adults. Funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Completed. (PI on the project)
Publications
- Gignac MA, Bowring J, Shahidi FV, Kristman VL, Cameron JI, Jetha A. Workplace disclosure decisions of older workers wanting to remain employed: a qualitative study of factors considered when contemplating revealing or concealing support needs. Work, Aging and Retirement. 2024;10(2):174–187. doi:10.1093/workar/waac029.
- Jetha A, Bonaccio S, Shamaee A, Banks CG, Bultmann U, Smith PM, Tompa E, Tucker LB, Norman C, Gignac MA. Divided in a digital economy: understanding disability employment inequities stemming from the application of advanced workplace technologies. SSM - Qualitative Research in Health. 2023;3:100293. doi:10.1016/j.ssmqr.2023.100293.
- Jetha A, Shahidi FV. Racism: a neglected piece of the work disability management puzzle. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. 2023;33(3):415-417. doi:10.1007/s10926-023-10133-3.
- Jetha A, Bakhtari H, Rosella LC, Gignac MA, Biswas A, Shahidi FV, Smith BT, Smith MJ, Mustard C, Khan N, Arrandale VH, Loewen PJ, Zuberi D, Dennerlein JT, Bonaccio S, Wu N, Irvin E, Smith PM. Artificial intelligence and the work-health interface: a research agenda for a technologically transforming world of work. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 2023;66(10):815-830. doi:10.1002/ajim.23517.
- Jetha A, Navaratnerajah L, Shahidi FV, Carnide N, Biswas A, Yanar B, Siddiqi A. Racial and ethnic inequities in the return-to-work of workers experiencing injury or illness: a systematic review. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. 2023;33(3):432-449. doi:10.1007/s10926-023-10119-1.
Speaker Series presentations
- Surveying the landscape for AI use in occupational health and safety in Ontario and British Columbia. IWH Speaker Series. March 25, 2025.
- Three scenarios of a future working world: Using strategic foresight to imagine and respond to a changing world of work for young adults living with a disability in Canada. IWH Speaker Series. October 17, 2023.
- Racial and ethnic inequities in the return-to-work of workers following an injury or illness: Findings from a systematic review. IWH Speaker Series. January 17, 2023.
- What the future of work looks like to young people with disabilities. IWH Speaker Series. December 14, 2021.
- Fragmentation in the future of work: Exploring the impact of the changing nature of work on vulnerable workers. IWH Speaker Series. February 23, 2021.
Interviews and articles
- Depressive symptoms in people with arthritis linked to lower employment rates. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 102, Fall 2020.
- Coronavirus: The risks to essential workers with hidden health conditions. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 100, Spring 2020.
- Coronavirus: The risks to essential workers with hidden health conditions. The Conversation. April 15, 2020. Available from: https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-the-risks-to-essential-workers-with-hidden-health-conditions-135819
- Despite social distancing, many front-line public workers feel the strain. The Globe and Mail. March 20, 2020. Available from: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/careers/article-despite-social-distancing-many-front-line-public-workers-feel-the/
- The future of work will hit vulnerable people the hardest. The Conversation. March 2, 2020.