Health-care sector
IWH research that specifically involves health-care workplaces, workers, unions, employers and/or associations, as well as research on programs that specifically target the health-care sector, is collected together here. Not included here is IWH research that cuts across all or many sectors, even though it may be relevant to the health-care sector. For this reason, visitors are encouraged to explore beyond this page to find equally important information on the prevention of work injury and disability in health care.
Featured
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, understandin
Published: July 26, 2023
IWH Speaker Series
More than just COVID-19 prevention: Exploring the links between PPE, safe work protocols and workers' mental health
Published: November 10, 2020
At Work article
Violence prevention efforts face challenges despite commitment from hospital leaders
There has been a cultural shift in recent years when it comes to violence and aggression toward health-care workers. But despite commitment among hospital leadership to tackle the problems, prevention efforts still face several common challenges on the ground.
Published: April 2018
Journal article
Journal article
Process evaluation of a participatory organizational change program to reduce musculoskeletal and slip, trip and fall injuries
Published: Applied Ergonomics, April 2018
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series
Towards a better understanding of differences in the risk of workplace violence for men and women in Canada
Workplace violence is getting increasing attention, especially within certain industries such as health care and education. This presentation will discuss results from two recently completed studies examining differences in the risk of workplace violence for men and women.
Published: March 2018
Project report
Project report
Implementing violence prevention legislation in hospitals: final report
This report details the findings of an Institute for Work & Health study that looked at acute-care hospitals in Ontario and how they implemented legislated violence prevention initiatives, to what effect, and the challenges they faced along the way.
Published: February 2018
Project report
Project report
Implementing violence prevention legislation in hospitals: summary
This two-page summary shares the highlights of an Institute for Work & Health study that looked at acute-care hospitals in Ontario and how they implemented legislated violence prevention initiatives, to what effect, and the challenges they faced along the way.
Published: December 2017
Journal article
Journal article
Improvements in osteoporosis testing and care are found following the wide scale implementation of the Ontario Fracture Clinic Screening Program: an interrupted time series analysis
Published: Medicine, December 2017
Journal article
Journal article
Implementation of a disability management policy in a large healthcare employer: a quasi-experimental, mixed-methods evaluation
Published: BMJ Open, June 2017
Journal article
Journal article
Implementing a collaborative return-to-work program: lessons from a qualitative study in a large Canadian healthcare organization
Published: Work, November 2016
At Work article
Peer coaching on patient lifts lowers injury, but at a small cost
An IWH cost-benefit analysis finds a training program on patient lifts is nearly cost-neutral while lowering injury rates by a third.
Published: April 2016
At Work article
Monitoring progress key in implementing return-to-work program: IWH study
A workplace study of an innovative return-to-work program highlights progress and opportunities for improvement.
Published: April 2016