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
- Future-proofing young Canadians with disabilities for the changing labour market. Funded by New Frontiers in Research Fund (a Tri-Agency Program—CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC). Ongoing.
- Implementation of a comprehensive accommodation and reintegration program in a police service. Funded by Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Ongoing.
- Implementation of PTSI programs in Alberta first responder organizations. Funded by Government of Alberta. Ongoing.
- 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.
- Job quality and wellbeing in Canada: generating insights on the new world of work. Funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Ongoing.
Publications
- Jessiman-Perreault G, Smith PM, Gignac MA. Why are workplace social support programs not improving the mental health of Canadian correctional officers? An examination of the theoretical concepts underpinning support. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(5):2665. doi:10.3390/ijerph18052665.
- Gignac MA, Bowring J, Jetha A, Beaton DE, Breslin FC, Franche RL, Irvin E, MacDermid JC, Shaw WS, Smith PM, Thompson A, Tompa E, Van Eerd D, Saunders R. Disclosure, privacy and workplace accommodation of episodic disabilities: organizational perspectives on disability communication-support processes to sustain employment. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. 2021;31(1):153-165. doi:10.1007/s10926-020-09901-2.
- Jetha A, Johnson SR, Gignac MA. Unmet workplace support needs and lost productivity of workers with systemic sclerosis: a path analysis study. Arthritis Care and Research. 2021;73(3):423-431. doi:10.1002/acr.24123.
- Gignac MA, Jetha A, Martin Ginis KA, Ibrahim S. Does it matter what your reasons are when deciding to disclose (or not disclose) a disability at work? The association of workers' approach and avoidance goals with perceived positive and negative workplace outcomes. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. 2021;31(3):638-651. doi:10.1007/s10926-020-09956-1.
- Jetha A, Gignac MA, Ibrahim S, Martin Ginis KA. Disability and sex/gender intersections in unmet workplace support needs: findings from a large Canadian survey of workers. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 2021;64(2):149-161. doi:10.1002/ajim.23203.
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
- 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
- COVID worries highest among workers with both physical, mental health disabilities. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 105, Summer 2021.
- Episodic health conditions. Rehab & Community Care. April 23, 2021. Available from: https://www.rehabmagazine.ca/top-stories/episodic-health-conditions/
- Episodic health conditions. Rehab & Community Care. April 23, 2021. Available from: https://www.rehabmagazine.ca/top-stories/episodic-health-conditions/
- People’s reasons for disclosing episodic disabilities linked to support they receive. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 103, Winter 2021.