Dr. Aviroop Biswas
Dr. Aviroop Biswas is an associate scientist at the Institute for Work & Health. He is also an assistant professor in social and behavioural health sciences 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 explores the complexity of chronic disease etiology in terms of work factors. He is conducting studies examining the interplay between combinations of work and non-work exposures and their effects on health, as well as studies informing strategies to promote the health, safety and well-being of the workforce. His doctoral research focused on informing strategies to reduce the health risks associated with prolonged sedentary behaviour among cardiac rehabilitation patients. Biswas uses various scientific methods to conduct his research, including the epidemiological analysis of population surveys and administrative data, systematic reviews and qualitative approaches.
“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
- Developing recommendations for an integrated approach to workplace health protection and health promotion. Funded by Alberta OHS Future. Ongoing. (PI on the project)
- Do work exposures and their effects differ for men and women? A systematic review. Funded by WorkSafeBC. Ongoing. (PI on the project)
- Improving information on the incidence of work-related injuries and illnesses in Ontario. Funded by Ontario Ministry of Labour Research Opportunities Program . 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)
Publications
- Biswas A, Dobson K, Gignac MA, de Oliveira C, Smith PM. Changes in work factors and concurrent changes in leisure time physical activity: a 12-year longitudinal analysis. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2020 [epub ahead of print]. doi:10.1136/oemed-2019-106158.
- Biswas A, Smith PM, Gignac MA. Access to showers and change rooms at work associated with active commuting among older workers: findings from a national population survey. Journal of Applied Gerontology. 2020;39(2):214-220. doi:10.1177/0733464818755313.
- Mitchell MS, Orstad SL, Biswas A, Oh PI, Jay M, Pakosh MT, Faulkner GE. Financial incentives for physical activity in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2019 [Epub ahead of print]. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2019-100633.
- Biswas A, Severin C, Smith PM, Steenstra I, Robson LS, Amick B. Larger workplaces, people-oriented culture, and specific industry sectors are associated with co-occurring health protection and wellness activities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2018;15(12):2739. doi:10.3390/ijerph15122739.
- Biswas A, Oh PI, Faulkner GE, Alter DA. A prospective study examining the influence of cardiac rehabilitation on the sedentary time of highly sedentary, physically inactive patients. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. 2018;61(4):207-214. doi:10.1016/j.rehab.2017.06.003.
Speaker Series presentations
- 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
- Sitting or standing too much at work? New video addresses ways to lower associated health risks. Safety + Health. December 27, 2018. Available from: https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/17906-sitting-or-standing-too-much-at-work-new-video-addresses-ways-to-lower-associated-health-risks
- Grant round-up: Emerging issues and innovative prevention approaches seen in latest IWH projects. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 94, Fall 2018.
- Workplace facilities and environments can help workers exercise during off-hours. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 92, Spring 2018.
- Researcher on health risks of sedentary life shifts focus to workplace interventions. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 88, Spring 2017.