Dr. Monique Gignac
Dr. Monique Gignac is scientific director and senior scientist at the Institute for Work & Health. She is also a professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.
Gignac’s research expertise is in the areas of health and social psychology, including health models of disability. Her research examines psychosocial factors like stress, coping, adaptation and communication, and their importance in understanding the impact of chronic diseases on the lives of adults across the life course. Of particular interest is research on workplace communication, privacy, support and accommodation needs among individuals living with chronic, episodic conditions.
Gignac's research program is strongly collaborative. She works with clinicians, epidemiologists, health economists, sociologists and health psychologists. Study designs in her research program span community health surveys, qualitative research, measurement design and evaluation, and analyses of population health datasets.
Gignac has received recognition for her research with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award (2013); an award for outstanding leadership and research from the Canadian Networks of Centres of Excellence (2011); Distinguished Scholar (2013), Lecturer (2014) and service awards (2019, 2021) from the international Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ARP); and recognition for mentorship (2015) from the Health Care, Technology and Place (HCTP) Strategic Research Training Program funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Care (CIHR).
“Many chronic physical and mental health conditions create ongoing challenges for those living with them. That's because their symptoms are often invisible. They're also intermittent in impact and therefore highly unpredictable. That creates a lot of stress and hard-to-answer questions. Should a person disclose their health condition at work? How does a person get support from others during times of difficulty without affecting their career? My goal is to apply research to improve the health and work outcomes of individuals living with these conditions.” – Dr. Monique Gignac
Projects
- Developing recommendations for an integrated approach to workplace health protection and health promotion. Funded by Alberta OHS Future. Completed.
- Getting the message right: strengthening RTW communication in B.C.'s health-care sector. Funded by WorkSafeBC Innovation at Work. Completed.
- Role of accommodations and communication practices in supporting the employment participation of Canadians living with disabilities. Funded by Canadian Disability Participation Project. Completed. (PI on the project)
- Understanding the employment needs and experiences of baby boomers with arthritis and diabetes. Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Completed. (PI on the project)
- Understanding the relationship between osteoarthritis and work: a systematic review. Funded by WorkSafeBC. Completed. (PI on the project)
Publications
- Bonaccio S, Connelly CE, Fisher SL, Gellatly IR, Gignac MA, Jetha A. Beyond managing research partnerships: partnered research as an integrated methodological approach. Industrial and Organizational Psychology. 2018;11(4):613-619. doi:10.1017/iop.2018.123.
- Gignac MA, Kristman VL, Smith PM, Beaton DE, Badley EM, Ibrahim S, Mustard C. Are there differences in workplace accommodation needs, use and unmet needs among older workers with arthritis, diabetes and no chronic conditions? Examining the role of health and work context. Work, Aging & Retirement. 2018;4(4):381-398. doi:10.1093/workar/way004.
- Biswas A, Smith PM, Gignac MA. Naturally occurring workplace facilities to increase the leisure time physical activity of workers: A propensity-score weighted population study. Preventive Medicine Reports. 2018;10:263-270. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.03.013.
- van Genderen S, Plasqui G, van der Heijde D, van Gaalen F, Heuft L, Luime J, Spoorenberg A, Arends S, Lacaille D, Gignac MA, Landewe RB, Boonen A. Social role participation and satisfaction with life: a study among patients with ankylosing spondylitis and population controls. Arthritis Care & Research. 2018;70(4):600-60. doi:10.1002/acr.23304.
- Jetha A, Gignac MA, Bowring J, Tucker S, Connelly CE, Proulx L, Martin Ginis KA. Supporting arthritis and employment across the life course: a qualitative study. Arthritis Care & Research. 2018;70(10):1461-1468. doi:10.1002/acr.23523.
Speaker Series presentations
- Deciding whether to share health information at work: A new evidence-based tool for workers with chronic conditions. IWH Speaker Series. November 19, 2024.
- Unveiling the JDAPT: A new interactive tool to identify work-related support strategies for workers with chronic conditions and disability. IWH Speaker Series. March 21, 2023.
- What do workplaces need to know to help older workers stay on the job? A qualitative study of older workers’ disclosure decisions. IWH Speaker Series. September 20, 2022.
- Does it matter what workers’ reasons are for disclosing or not disclosing a disability at work? Why and how?. IWH Speaker Series. November 24, 2020.
- Challenges in accommodating mental and physical health conditions: What workplace parties are saying. IWH Speaker Series. June 12, 2018.
Interviews and articles
- Thriving while sick: mentorship platform helps chronically ill workers navigate workplace issues. The Globe and Mail. April 26, 2024. Available from: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/careers/article-thriving-while-sick-mentorship-platform-helps-chronically-ill-workers/
- Employer versions of job accommodation tool help organizations think about worker needs. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 114, Fall 2023.
- Supporting workers with chronic conditions. Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety. May 19, 2023. Available from: https://www.ccohs.ca/newsletters/hsreport/issues/2023/05/ezine.html#hsreport-ontopic
- Older workers not prone to ask for employer support. Rehab & Community Care. April 30, 2023. Available from: https://www.rehabmagazine.ca/featured-carousel/older-workers-not-prone-to-ask-for-employer-support-citing-ageism-and-other-issues/
- Workplace health conversations are awkward: A new tool is here to help.. OHS Canada. April 20, 2023. Available from: https://www.ohscanada.com/features/workplace-chronic-health-conversations-are-awkward-a-new-tool-is-here-to-help/