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 nurse sits in deserted hospital hallway, looking worried
At Work article

Violence prevention efforts face challenges despite commitment from hospital leaders

IWH implementation study reveals concerns over issues such as staff training, security, reporting
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Man in red shirt jogs in a park adjacent to an office building
At Work article

Workplace facilities and environments can help workers exercise during off-hours

Study suggests employers can promote workers’ activity levels by highlighting amenities near or at work
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At Work article

Studies consistent in finding a link between opioids for MSDs and longer work disability

But high risk of bias across available studies limits ability to draw conclusions about cause and effect​
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Two smiling women at the airport
At Work article

Newcomers often lack OHS protection and information in their precarious first jobs

A study by the Institute for Work & Health examines the labour market experiences of newcomers to Canada and identifies a key role for settlement agencies
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A downcast woman sits waiting for news in an empty waiting room
At Work article

Family members play important but unacknowledged role in injury aftermath

A study of three Australian compensation systems recommends formal support for burdened family members
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The back of a cook in a restaurant kitchen
At Work article

Standing too long at work carries twice the risk of heart disease as sitting too long

Workers who stand on the job most of the time are at greater risk of heart disease than workers who predominantly sit
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View of training room from the back
At Work article

IWH study examines effect of Ontario’s mandatory OHS training on awareness

IWH study examines effect of Ontario’s mandatory OHS training on awareness
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A young woman rests her head in her palm, eyes closed
At Work article

Young adults with chronic conditions often struggle to access workplace supports

Study of people with arthritis finds younger workers face distinct challenges requesting accommodation
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A woman with disability works in a bakery
At Work article

Workers with disabilities report greater hazard exposure and lower protection

OHS vulnerability study finds people with disabilities report inadequate policies and low empowerment​
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An elderly patient lying in bed
At Work article

Study update: New cases of mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer from one year cost $2.35B

IWH's new estimate of economic burden higher than earlier figure
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Two female servers at a restaurant bar
Research Highlights

Prolonged standing on the job associated with higher risk of heart disease than prolonged sitting

Workers who predominantly stand on the job are at greater risk of heart disease than workers who predominantly sit. Workplace prevention efforts should target excessive standing, as well as excessive sitting, to protect the cardiovascular health of workers.
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A man stands in shadow with head down
At Work article

Therapy can help manage depression, but in Manitoba, access to therapists is a concern

Therapy can help manage depression, but in Manitoba, access to therapists is a concern
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Close-up of a rubber stamp and the word "denied"
At Work article

Proving mental illness diagnosis, duration a challenge for income support programs

Policy design study finds common obstacles for Ontario’s ODSP and Australia’s equivalent
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At Work article

Permanent work injury lowers women’s chances of marriage

Women experiencing a permanent impairment following a work injury are less likely than uninjured women to marry, says new research from the Institute for Work & Health.
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A woman with disability works in a bakery
Research Highlights

Workers with disabilities report greater OHS vulnerability

Workers with disabilities are more likely to be exposed to hazards at work than other workers, and are more likely to experience vulnerability due to inadequate measures to mitigate those hazards.
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Female doctor on the phone
At Work article

Health professionals report uncertainty over roles in RTW of workers with complex injuries

Study in four Canadian provinces finds some confusion and areas for potential improvement
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Colleagues shake hands
At Work article

Effective workplace return-to-work interventions are multi-faceted: IWH review

New systematic review finds evidence for return-to-work programs that incorporate some combination of health services, case coordination and work modification
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Hand completing questionnaire
At Work article

OHS vulnerability as defined by IWH tool linked to self-reported injury rates

Study lends support to concept of OHS vulnerability as combination of hazards and inadequate protection
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Silhouettes of a man and a woman looking straight ahead
Research Highlights

Role of chronic conditions and physical job demands on differences in work activity limitations between women and men

The differing levels of work activity limitations among women and men are explained by the different chronic conditions they are likely to have and the different physical demands they are likely to face on the job.
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Wolfgang Zimmermann at Nachemson
At Work article

Advocate and pioneer challenges all to erase stigma faced by workers with disabilities

IWH's Nachemson lecture looks back on 20 years of achievements by NIDMAR and Wolfgang Zimmermann
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