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.

A young man working on a laptop as a female instructor guides him
At Work article

How job training can better meet the needs of persons with disabilities

Job training initiatives are an important gateway to work opportunities, especially for persons living with disabilities who face persistent barriers to employment. However, as technological advances lead to changes in the nature and availability of work, training programs need to be more responsive to the diverse needs of persons with disabilities.
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A residential home in mid-build is surrounded by scaffolding
At Work article

Safer work practices, lower injury rates maintained two years after Ontario’s working-at-heights training came into effect: study

Lower rates of injuries from falls from heights found in follow-up study comparing different provinces and different injury types
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A man speaks with a female doctor in scrubs who holds a clipboard
Research Highlights

Workers are using cannabis to treat work-related conditions, mostly without medical guidance

While cannabis is often used recreationally, there is growing interest in its use for therapeutic purposes, such as for pain, anxiety, depression and sleep problems. Some workers are using cannabis many months following the onset of a work-related condition, whether to treat their condition or for other reasons, mostly without medical guidance.
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A woman dressed in work attire looks out a window with her arms folded.
At Work article

What is the impact of depression on years of employment among working-age adults?

IWH study describes five patterns of depressive symptoms over adulthood and the influence of depression on work participation
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A police officer with their back turned faces a group of people walking around.
At Work article

Police service members face challenges with accommodation, communication and trust when returning to work after an injury

Recent study identifies return-to-work challenges for sworn and civilian Ontario police service members
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A group of physician's sitting in a room, prepared to take notes.
Research Highlights

Primary care physicians’ learning needs in returning ill or injured workers to work

While primary care physicians play an important role in helping ill and injured workers return to work (RTW), they have a variety of learning needs about how to best navigate the RTW process. These needs fall in the areas of completing administrative tasks, challenging personal beliefs, understanding specific RTW issues and learning about available RTW services and tools.
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A graphic depicting a crowd of people
Sharing Best Evidence

Racial and ethnic inequities in the return-to-work process

In the first systematic review on the subject, IWH examined the research literature on racial and ethnic inequities in return to work. It found strong evidence that non-white workers are less likely than white workers to return to work following an injury or illness—and moderate evidence that Black workers face pronounced barriers.
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Overhead image of fast-moving pedestrians using a crosswalk to cross a road.
Research Highlights

Associations between physical activity patterns and cardiometabolic health in Canadian working adults

According to an IWH study, Canadian workers typically fall into six patterns of daily movement. These six patterns are associated with varying levels of cardiometabolic disease risk. In general, workers with higher daily activity levels had lower levels of cardiometabolic disease risk factors, but those with moderate activity also showed lower risk factors.
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Drawing of a Black youth looking at the Employee of the Month board, which features pictures of robots.
At Work article

Three future of work scenarios to help develop inclusion strategies for young people with disabilities

IWH report uses strategic foresight to imagine how working life could change in the next seven years, and what the implications might be for young adults with disabilities
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A computer technician who uses a wheelchair works at his station
At Work article

Canadians with disabilities twice as likely to report low quality employment than those without disabilities

National survey by IWH researcher identifies gaps in employment quality for persons with and without disabilities.
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A group of young adults look into the camera
At Work article

One in four young adults in the U.S. have poor mental health—and the lowest earnings among their peers

Study by IWH researcher maps mental health and earnings trajectories, from participants’ mid-teens to mid-30s
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Overhead view of two people in safety helmets walking up the stairs in a plant
At Work article

IWH tool comes out ahead in Australian study of OHS leading indicator tools

The Institute’s OHS Vulnerability Measure was one of two tools recommended by Monash University evaluation team for use by state workers’ compensation board
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Two male workers assemble vegetable crates in a warehouse
At Work article

Employers struggle to provide newcomers with OHS training, support: IWH study

Smaller workplaces especially challenged by need for training resources in different languages and by limited OHS capacity, study finds
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An older female worker ponders decision while sitting in waiting room
At Work article

Older workers not prone to ask for employer support, citing ageism and other issues

A study by IWH finds concerns about privacy, reputation, job loss among reasons older workers are not inclined to share they need support to keep working
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An overhead shot of a teacher, sitting in front of two laptops in a cramped corner of her home office
At Work article

Study of educators during pandemic found psychosocial conditions worse for those teaching online

OHCOW-IWH study also found two-thirds of surveyed teachers reported having less than half of needed COVID protections
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A man sitting on a couch holds his shoulder in pain
At Work article

IWH study finds 7 in 10 injured workers still experience pain more than a year after injury

Link between pain severity and time off work also found in study of Ontario injured workers, conducted 18 months post-injury
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A young worker at her computer workstation holds her shoulder and neck in pain
Research Highlights

Examining the link between job insecurity, work limitations and persistent symptoms among young adults with rheumatic disease

Young adults with rheumatic disease who reported high work activity limitations were also more likely to report persistent high levels of pain, fatigue and active rheumatic disease symptoms. Those who experienced job insecurity were more likely to report persistent pain and active disease symptoms. That's according to an IWH follow-up study conducted over 27 months.
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A woman takes notes at a desk while attending a videoconference on the computer monitor
Research Highlights

Comparing real-time online work-related training with face-to-face formats

Work-related training delivered through synchronous or real-time online formats can be just as effective as face-to-face training in building workers’ knowledge or skills. This finding is based on a relatively sparse body of research looking at training aimed at adult learners at the undergraduate level or higher.
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Wooden block letters spelling out R O I, with colourful arrows pointing to them
At Work article

IWH estimates point to positive return on OHS investment in three Ontario sectors

The Institute’s method to estimate the ROI of occupational health and safety spending includes intangible benefits
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Black silhouettes of two women in dialogue, with colourful speech bubbles above them
Research Highlights

Getting the message right: strategies to improve return-to-work communication

Communication is central to disability management—especially in large and complex organizations where multiple parties are involved in the return-to-work process and inconsistent practices can add to communication challenges. Workplace stakeholders in large and complex organizations use key strategies to effectively communicate about RTW. They include communicating messages of support, correctly timing RTW communication, carefully wording messages, framing messages and tailoring messages for individual workers.
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