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
Pilot program decreases duration and costs of workers’ comp claims
Organizational support to family physicians - including health services case managers to help coordinate care, improve communication with employers and reduce paperwork - can improve the delivery of health care to injured workers and lower costs. Dr. Thomas Wickizer explained how and why.
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At Work article
Small firms need OHS services tailored to their needs
When it comes to occupational health and safety (OHS), small businesses are not large firms on a smaller scale. They have unique features that affect their approach to workplace health and safety, and these features should be taken into account by OHS professionals and policy-makers when designing small-firm programs and services.
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At Work article
New IWH senior scientist reaches out to policy-makers
Getting workplaces, health-care providers and public institutions to understand and adopt evidence-based practices has long been a priority of the Institute for Work & Health (IWH). Now, the IWH is strengthening its ties in particular with the policy-makers within these stakeholder groups
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Research Highlights
High nerve injury pain predicts upper extremity disability
Patients who seek medical help at least six months after an upper extremity nerve injury also report a considerable level of disability that is associated, in part, with chronic pain.
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Research Highlights
Heavy workloads linked to mental health, MSD treatment in health-care workers
What worker or workplace factors are linked to musculoskeletal or mental health problems among nurses and support staff? This study of 21,000 health-care workers points to heavy workloads among the most important factors.
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Research Highlights
Involving stakeholders helps research influence policy
Sears JM, Hogg-Johnson S
In 2004, Washington State enacted a three-year pilot program enabling nurse practitioners to work in an expanded role as “attending providers” for injured workers. Following an evaluation, the program was made permanent. This case-study-based research showed how involving stakeholders enhanced the impact of research on health policy.
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Research Highlights
Manufacturer saves money with participatory ergonomic program
Participatory ergonomic (PE) programs may be worth undertaking based on their financial merits — savings found not in fewer or shorter work-related injury absences but in shorter absences due to non-work injuries.
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Research Highlights
Co-workers play important, but sometimes “invisible” role in RTW
A small but important minority—14 per cent—of injured workers experience recurrent neck pain, accounting for 40 per cent of all lost-time days due to neck pain, according to a study of claims made to Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.
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Research Highlights
Work factors affect off-the-job drinking habits
Work factors that affect job stress and job alienation can affect employee drinking behaviours off the job, study finds
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Research Highlights
An approach to developing a return-to-work program
Intervention mapping is a useful framework for developing customized return-to-work (RTW) programs that have been found to be more effective than non-tailored plans.
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Research Highlights
Examining OHS and workers’ compensation in non-profit organizations
While workers in non-profit organizations face a number of work-related hazards, a case study finds that provincial health and safety legislation across Canada is not always well-suited to this sector.
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Research Highlights
Orthopedic surgeons hold diverse views of chiropractors
In a survey of 500 orthopedic surgeons in Canada and the United States, just over half held a favourable or neutral view or chiropractors. The rest had a negative view.
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Research Highlights
Reducing work-related physical stresses to prevent MSDs
Workplace programs that aim to reduce stresses on the body – also known as mechanical exposure – are one way to prevent and reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), or soft-tissue injuries.
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Research Highlights
Workplace factors affect return-to-work accommodations
Workplace factors (such as firm size and union status) have greater influence than individual factors (such as health) on the likelihood that an injured worker will be offered and will accept modified work. The findings suggest more attention needs to be paid to workplace factors early in the return-to-work process.
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Research Highlights
Older, previously ill workers benefit most from RTW program
Steenstra I, Knol DL, Bongers PM, van Mechelen W, de Vet H
A workplace-based program that has workers and supervisors jointly identify and solve return-to-work barriers is found to be particularly effective in reducing absences among older workers and workers previously off work due to an illness.
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Research Highlights
Does ultrasound speed the healing of broken bones?
There is a lack of high quality evidence to support the use of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy to speed the healing of broken bones, although overall results appear promising.
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Research Highlights
Unstable work increases risk of unwanted sexual advances
Interventions against sexual harassment at work should prioritize precarious work situations, particularly in the service sector, study suggests.
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Sharing Best Evidence
Are workplace prevention programs effective?
Injury/illness prevention and loss control programs (IPCs) help protect workers from injuries, meet regulatory requirements, reduce the negative effects of injuries and manage costs. IPCs include the three Ps: work practices among employees, policies developed by employers and programs required by legislation. This systematic review has shown that there is strong evidence supporting the effectiveness of disability management/return-to-work programs.
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At Work article
IWH develops six messages to help prevent MSDs
Most of us know that musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) can be painful and disabling to workers. Plus these injuries to muscles, ligaments or other soft tissues negatively affect your company’s bottom line. Preventing MSDs can help enhance workers’ health, increase productivity and improve your company’s economic growth.
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