Dr. Kathleen Dobson

Associate Scientist
PhD, Epidemiology, University of Toronto
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416-927-2027 ext. 2034

Dr. Kathleen Dobson is an associate scientist at the Institute for Work & Health. Dobson holds a PhD in epidemiology from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and an MSc in health research methodology from McMaster University.

Dobson’s research aims to understand how Canadians who experience mental illness and mental health challenges participate in the labour force. Her research also explores the long-term health and employment experiences of injured workers. Dobson’s methodological expertise focuses on longitudinal methods in complex observational data sources.

Prior to Dobson’s current position, she was a research associate at the Institute for Work & Health, where her research projects focused on determining trajectories of health behaviours, such as alcohol use and cigarette smoking, among working Canadians and exploring how these trajectories are influenced by work environments. 

Photo of Kathleen Dobson

As an epidemiological scientist, I aim to answer questions that are of interest to scientists, policy-makers and, most importantly, Canadians from all walks of life. I can’t think of more important areas of study than work and health. They touch every aspect of our lives, from how we spend our days, to where we live, and to who we have in our social support networks. My research to date has been focused on the relationship between work and health over decades-long timelines, with long-term findings that offer valuable evidence to inform equitable health and employment policy. – Kathleen Dobson

Projects