Dr. Aviroop Biswas
Dr. Aviroop Biswas is a 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 aspires to improve the sustainability of employment and the prevention of future worker injury and chronic disease by informing health promotion activities related to healthy physical activity and worker wellbeing. His recent research projects include examining how different workers’ daily activity profiles are associated their risk of chronic disease, understanding how workplace wellbeing champions can support engagement and participation among their colleagues, and how different work arrangements (including telework) shape work-life balance and wellbeing. His studies have primarily involved the 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
- Exploring where Canadians work and live and their association with active transportation. Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Ongoing. (PI on the project)
- Intelligent machines and human worker inequities: examining the implications of AI in the workplace. Funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC); Future Skills Centre. Ongoing.
- Occupational injury risks in Ontario. Funded by Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD). Ongoing.
- Trends in the severity of work-related injury in Ontario. Funded by Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD). Ongoing. (PI on the project)
- 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
- 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.
- Biswas A, Chen C, Prince SA, Smith PM, Mustard C. Daily accelerometer-measured physical activity patterns and associations with cardiometabolic health among Canadian working adults. Health Reports. 2023;34(3):15-29. doi:10.25318/82-003-x202300300002-eng.
- 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.
Speaker Series presentations
- How the physical and social environment shape commuters' choices to bike or walk. IWH Speaker Series. October 15, 2024.
- 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
- Emerging evidence points to negative health effects of physical work demands . At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 105, Summer 2021.
- 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.