Dr. Aviroop Biswas
Dr. Aviroop Biswas is an associate scientist at the Institute for Work & Health. He is also an assistant professor in epidemiology at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
Biswas obtained his PhD in health services research at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation. During his PhD studies, he received a doctoral research fellowship from the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and was a past recipient of the University of Toronto’s Ted Goldberg award for academic excellence and promise in health services research. Biswas was previously a Mustard post-doctoral fellow at the Institute for Work & Health (2017-2019).
Biswas’s research at the Institute includes population-based approaches to understanding the contribution of work factors in the etiologic role of physical activity on chronic diseases; studies informing strategies to promote the health, safety and well-being of the workforce; and understanding sex/gender differences in occupational health exposures and related health outcomes. His research projects have involved analysis of survey and administrative data, machine learning, as well as systematic reviews.
“Worker health goes beyond simply thinking about protecting workers from the hazards of work. Unhealthy living not only increases the risk of preventable disease, but is also a major cause of workplace absence and injury. The challenge is to convince employers that the health and well-being of workers is in the best interests of the workplace to promote.” – Dr. Avi Biswas
Projects
- Do work exposures and their effects differ for men and women? A systematic review. Funded by WorkSafeBC. Ongoing. (PI on the project)
- Evaluating the effectiveness of distance learning in delivering Ontario's JHSC certification training. Funded by Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Ongoing.
- Occupational injury risks in Ontario. Funded by Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Ongoing.
- Understanding the activity patterns of Canadians at work and outside of work, and their association with overall health. Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Ongoing. (PI on the project)
- Using decision-tree machine learning to identify worker movement typologies . Ongoing. (PI on the project)
Publications
- Biswas A, Chen C, Prince SA, Smith PM, Mustard C. Workers' activity profiles associated with predicted 10-year cardiovascular disease risk. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2022;11(14):e025148. doi:10.1161/JAHA.121.025148.
- Biswas A, Harbin S, Irvin E, Johnston H, Begum M, Tiong M, Apedaile D, Koehoorn M, Smith PM. Differences between men and women in their risk of work injury and disability: a systematic review. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 2022;65(7):576-588. doi:10.1002/ajim.23364.
- Pentland V, Spilsbury S, Biswas A, Mottola MF, Paplinskie S, Mitchell MS. Does walking reduce postpartum depressive symptoms? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Women's Health. 2022;31(4):555-563. doi:10.1089/jwh.2021.0296.
- Biswas A, Begum M, Van Eerd D, Johnston H, Smith PM, Gignac MA. Integrating safety and health promotion in workplaces: a scoping review of facilitators, barriers, and recommendations. Health Promotion Practice. 2022;23(6):984-998. doi:10.1177/15248399211028154.
- Biswas A, Harbin S, Irvin E, Johnston H, Begum M, Tiong M, Apedaile D, Koehoorn M, Smith PM. Sex and gender differences in occupational hazard exposures: a scoping review of the recent literature. Current Environmental Health Reports. 2021;8(4):267-280. doi:10.1007/s40572-021-00330-8.
Speaker Series presentations
- Is there an optimal daily movement pattern for heart health? A study of Canadian workers' activity tracker data. IWH Speaker Series. June 14, 2022.
- The health paradox of physically demanding work: What is it and should we be concerned?. IWH Speaker Series. May 11, 2021.
- Developing practical recommendations for integrating workplace safety and wellness initiatives. IWH Speaker Series. February 18, 2020.
- Do workplace facilities and health promotion programs help workers be physically active?. IWH Speaker Series. November 7, 2017.
Interviews and articles
- Workers doing vigorous, tiring activity all day no healthier than those who are least active. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 109, Summer 2022.
- Review synthesizes differences between men, women in injury risks and outcomes. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 108, Spring 2022.
- The physical activity paradox. Rehab & Community Care. February 17, 2022. Available from: https://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?m=1929&i=731841&p=18&ver=html5
- How can workplaces help promote exercise?. The Weekend Morning Show with Dave Trafford. November 21, 2021. Available from: https://www.iheartradio.ca/newstalk-1010/shows/the-weekend-morning-show-with-dave-trafford-1.377616
- Workplaces can help promote exercise, but job conditions remain a major hurdle. The Conversation. November 15, 2021. Available from: https://theconversation.com/workplaces-can-help-promote-exercise-but-job-conditions-remain-a-major-hurdle-170921