Dr. Monique Gignac
Dr. Monique Gignac is scientific director and senior scientist at the Institute for Work & Health. She is also a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
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 an inclusive design award from MaRS-CIBC in 2022 for the development of the Job Demands and Accommodation Planning Tool (JDAPT), 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
- Return to work in policing: synthesizing current practices and implementation guidance. Funded by Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario. Completed.
- Transitioning to the future of work: an intersectional study of vulnerable youth and young adults. Funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Completed.
- Conceal or reveal? Facilitators and barriers to older workers' communication of accommodation needs. Funded by Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada. Completed. (PI on the project)
- 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.
Publications
- Sale JEM, Frankel L, Bogoch E, Gignac MA, Hawker G, Elliot-Gibson V, Jain R, Funnell L. Few fragility fracture patients perceive that their bone health is affected by their comorbidities and medications. Osteoporosis International. 2020;31(10):2047-2055. doi:10.1007/s00198-020-05409-w.
- Gignac MA, Irvin E, Cullen KL, Van Eerd D, Beaton DE, Mahood Q, McLeod CB, Backman CL. Men and women's occupational activities and the risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, or hands: a systematic review and recommendations for future research. Arthritis Care and Research. 2020;72(3):378-396. doi:10.1002/acr.23855.
- Biswas A, Dobson KG , 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;77(5):309-315. 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.
- Kokorelias KM, Gignac MA, Naglie G, Cameron JI. Towards a universal model of family centered care: a scoping review. BMC Health Services Research. 2019;19(1):564. doi:10.1186/s12913-019-4394-5.
Speaker Series presentations
- Challenges in accommodating mental and physical health conditions: What workplace parties are saying. IWH Speaker Series. June 12, 2018.
Research summaries
- Comparing the retirement expectations of older workers with and without chronic conditions. Research Highlights: Institute for Work & Health, August 2019.
- Despite pain and fatigue, older workers with chronic conditions want to work to age 65. At Work article: Institute for Work & Health, July 2019.
- Boomers with and without chronic conditions have similar needs for workplace supports . At Work article: Institute for Work & Health, February 2019.
- Sex/gender analysis: Men and women with arthritis have same needs at work, but not the same supports . At Work article: Institute for Work & Health, August 2018.
- Employer supports improve function and productivity of workers with arthritis. At Work article: Institute for Work & Health, February 2015.
Media coverage
- Tool to help workers with chronic and episodic health conditions. Canadian Occupation Safety. March 8, 2023. Available from: https://www.thesafetymag.com/ca/topics/technology/tool-to-help-workers-with-chronic-and-episodic-health-conditions/438794
- Older employees reluctant to ask for support: study. Canadian HR Reporter. November 30, 2022. Available from: https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/culture-and-engagement/older-employees-reluctant-to-ask-for-support-study/371977
- How workplaces can support staff with MS. Canadian Occupational Safety. September 27, 2021. Available from: https://www.thesafetymag.com/ca/topics/occupational-hygiene/how-workplaces-can-support-staff-with-ms/311283
- Lack of support at work makes COVID worse for people with disabilities. Canadian HR Reporter. August 9, 2021. Available from: https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/compensation-and-benefits/lack-of-support-at-work-makes-covid-worse-for-people-with-disabilities/358771
- Episodic health conditions. Rehab & Community Care. April 23, 2021. Available from: https://www.rehabmagazine.ca/top-stories/episodic-health-conditions/