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.
Research Highlights
Work setting, hazards are key injury risk factors for youth
When it comes to injury risk among teenaged and young adult workers, the type of job or workplace matters more than the nature of the young workers themselves.
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Research Highlights
Early aggressive care delays recovery after whiplash, study confirms
Too much health care too early after a whiplash injury has a negative affect on a patient's recovery, a study finds. It confirms that the results of an earlier study are not due to chance.
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Research Highlights
Women, young workers, minorities are more likely to be “underemployed”
Some social groups are more likely than others to be affected negatively by changes in the labour market. What's more, these groups are also more susceptible to negative health effects of the insecurities that arise with these changes.
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Sharing Best Evidence
Is it worthwhile investing in health and safety programs?
Before employers invest in workplace health and safety interventions, they want to know the financial implications of their investment. The goal of this review was to explore whether such interventions are worthwhile from an economic point of view.
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Research Highlights
Some tasks put carpenters at higher risk for low-back pain
According to the first ergonomic analysis of job tasks in residential carpentry, some tasks put carpenters at significant risk of injury to the low back. First among them is standing or framing walls.
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Research Highlights
Do chiropractors recommend back radiographs too frequently?
Compared to trainees, practising chiropractors use radiography more often. Reasons include attendance at seminars or courses encouraging radiography use, financial pressures or fear of malpractice.
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Research Highlights
Workplace health and safety management systems show promise
A systematic review finds several studies showing mostly favourable evidence for occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) interventions. However, a lack of high-quality evidence means recommendations cannot be made in favour or against any particular one.
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Research Highlights
Citations, penalties from inspectors reduce workplace injuries
For regulation to be effective, regulators need to "be in the field" undertaking investigations and actively seeking out cases of non-compliance for regulation to be effective. The mere possibility of being inspected, cited and fined is not as effective as actually being inspected.
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Research Highlights
How young workers view workplace injuries
Young workers view workplace injuries as "part of the job," particularly when the injuries don't require medical attention, study finds. Furthermore, these workers generally don't think these less severe injuries are of interest to their managers.
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Research Highlights
Injured worker peer groups shed light on improving return to work
A study on the challenges injured workers face finds they join peer support groups when they feel misunderstood and unfairly treated.
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Research Highlights
Job settings, education linked to work disability in youth
Job characteristics are a main risk factor in occupational health and safety among young workers. Reducing the physical hazards of work through improved equipment and the work environment should be an important part of workplace safety, study finds.
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Research Highlights
Two key strategies are critical for return-to-work programs
A study of six early return-to-work strategies finds accommodation offers and communication with health-care professionals are two critical factors to success.
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At Work article
Centre links MSD researchers from many disciplines
The number of researchers studying the prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) is limited. This is why one goal of the Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD)* is to strengthen collaborations in this field. IWH scientists are involved with several projects co-ordinated through the centre.
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Sharing Best Evidence
Summary of a systematic review of factors associated with occupational disease among young people
Young workers are more likely than older workers to sustain work injuries, and as a result, significant resources have been spent on young worker safety programs. This systematic review takes a comprehensive look at the factors that lead young workers to get injured.
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At Work article
Is it worth it? Determining the costs and benefits of workplace interventions
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