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
- Gignac MA, Jetha A, Bowring J, Beaton DE, Badley EM. Management of work disability in rheumatic conditions: a review of non-pharmacological interventions. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology. 2012;26(3):369-386. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2012.05.001.
- Gignac MA, Backman CL, Kaptein S, Lacaille D, Beaton DE, Hofstetter C, Badley EM. Tension at the borders: perceptions of role overload, conflict, strain and facilitation in work, family and health roles among employed individuals with arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford, England). 2012;51(2):324-332. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ker317.
- Davis AM, Perruccio AV, Ibrahim S, Hogg-Johnson S, Wong R, Streiner DL, Beaton DE, Cote P, Gignac MA, Flannery J, Schemitsch E, Mahomed NN, Badley EM. The trajectory of recovery and the inter-relationships of symptoms, activity and participation in the first year following total hip and knee replacement. Osteoarthritis and cartilage / OARS, Osteoarthritis Research Society. 2011;19(12):1413-1421. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2011.08.007.
- Gignac MA, Cao X, Tang K, Beaton DE. Examination of arthritis-related work place activity limitations and intermittent disability over four-and-a-half years and its relationship to job modifications and outcomes. Arthritis Care & Research. 2011;63(7):953-962. doi:10.1002/acr.20456.
- Tang K, Beaton DE, Gignac MA, Bombardier C. Rasch analysis informed modifications to the Work Instability Scale for Rheumatoid Arthritis for use in work-related upper limb disorders. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 2011;64(11):1242-1251. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2011.02.002.
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
- Greater focus on episodic disabilities needed: Study. Canadian HR Reporter. August 25, 2020. Available from: https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/compensation-and-benefits/greater-focus-on-episodic-disabilities-needed-study/332638
- Workplaces face many complex challenges when managing episodic disabilities: study. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 101, Summer 2020.
- What research can do: IWH researchers help MPs examine episodic disabilities and work issues. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 98, Fall 2019.
- Chronic diseases not slowing down older workers. Canadian HR Reporter. August 28, 2019. Available from: https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/wellness-mental-health/chronic-diseases-not-slowing-down-older-workers/304579
- Despite pain and fatigue, older workers with chronic conditions want to work to age 65. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 97, Summer 2019.