Plain-language summaries
Institute for Work & Health (IWH) plain-language summaries condense research findings in various formats. At Work articles explain study results with comments from the study leads. Research Highlights summarize journal articles in easy-to-read, digest formats. Sharing Best Evidence summaries highlight findings from systematic reviews and other types of reviews conducted or led by IWH researchers. Issue Briefings discuss key research findings from IWH or elsewhere on topics that are of particular interest to policy-makers.
At Work article
Training promotes safer practices
A systematic review led by the Institute for Work & Health shows that training positively influences worker practices, making it an important part of multi-component health and safety programs.
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At Work article
Study finds persistence of higher injury risk for new workers
We know that newly hired workers face a higher injury rate. Recent research from the Institute for Work & Health finds that the higher risk of work injury among new workers has persisted over the past ten years. This suggests workplaces need to do more to ensure new workers get the training and supervision they need to stay safe on the job.
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At Work article
New IWH senior scientist highlights chronic disease
The health of older workers is a focus of research for the Institute for Work & Health and its newest senior recruit.
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Sharing Best Evidence
Factors affecting RTW following acute low-back pain
This systematic review set out to find what factors affect the length of time it takes before returning to work. The aim was to identify which workers with acute low-back pain are at high risk of long-term absences and, therefore, in need of extra attention to help them recover and return to work more quickly.
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At Work article
What’s next for RAACWI?
Funding for the Research Action Alliance on the Consequences of Work Injury ended this spring, but that didn’t stop the group from making plans for the future. First comes funding, then comes expansion?
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At Work article
Case management potential area for return-to-work improvement
A survey of employees and supervisors about their company’s return-to-work process points to case management as both a lynchpin of the process and a potential area for improvement—a finding that may resonate beyond this one workplace.
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At Work article
Grant round-up: IWH research aims for practical results
Here’s a quick preview of five research projects at the Institute for Work & Health that recently got the ‘green light.’ They promise to bring results that can help prevent workplace injury and disability.
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At Work article
Experience rating focuses on post-injury practices, IWH study suggests
Experience rating can lead to unintended consequences if emphasis on prevention isn’t front-and-centre, says new research from the Institute for Work & Health.
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At Work article
Getting back on the horse: Return to work has beneficial effect on health
Returning to work after an injury is good for people, both physically and mentally, according to a new systematic review.
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At Work article
Research 101: Disseminating findings
In this series, we are taking you behind the scenes of a research project at the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), from start to finish.
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At Work article
The impact of the recession on workers’ compensation claims
The recent recession resulted in a substantial decline in the number of workers’ compensation claims, a decline much greater than the reduction in hours of work, according to the latest Issue Briefing from the Institute for Work & Health.
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Issue Briefing
The Canadian recession and the compensation of work-related injury and illness
What happened to workers' compensation claim rates in Canada during the 2008-2009 recession? This Issue Briefing looks at the research and confirms that, relative to the long-term trend of declining claim rates in North America, the frequency of workers' compensation claims per hours worked tends to go down during recessions.
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At Work article
Increasing psychological demands elevate risk of depression
New, policy-relevant research from the Institute for Work & Health on Canadian workers finds that increases in job demands can increase the risk of depression.
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At Work article
IWH research helps shape new work integration initiative
In November 2010, Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board introduced the new Work Reintegration Program. Many of its features address problems with the old vocational rehabilitation program that were described by Institute for Work & Health research.
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At Work article
Hot off the presses...and into the hands of practitioners
Getting new and updated Institute for Work & Health tools to practitioners is paramount, and this season the Institute was full steam ahead.
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At Work article
Reducing presenteeism through workplace health promotion programs
Workplace health promotion programs are a strategy adopted by employers to address presenteeism and on-the-job performance. But are these programs effective? A recent review of the evidence suggests some are, and points to program components that help to make them successful.
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At Work article
Message from the president: Listening to stakeholders about research priorities
The following message is from Institute for Work & Health President Dr. Cameron Mustard, commenting on the Institute’s consultation last fall about research priorities.
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At Work article
Fast but finite: Complementary and alternative therapies
A review led by a scientist from the Institute for Work & Health investigated the effectiveness of alternative therapies for back and neck pain and found that the benefits are immediate, but not lasting.
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At Work article
Driven by data: The promising impact of research on policy
In illustrating how research at California’s RAND Corporation helped to reform policy, Dr. Robert Reville, speaking at the annual Nachemson lecture, brought an important take-away message north of the 49th parallel: Research and policy analysis can improve workers’ compensation policy in many ways.
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At Work article
Investigating temporary employment in Canada
Sally (a pseudonym) was laid off from her administrative position at a London, Ontario-based investment firm in November of 2008. Although she had several years of experience in her field, she was unable to find a permanent full-time job. Instead, she found temporary reception work.
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