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Work-Related Population Health Indicators

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Abstract

Objective: To provide evidence-based recommendations for work-related population health indicators.

Methods: Drawing on a framework of work-related experiences, we systematically reviewed studies that assess the association between these experiences and health and reviewed related measures at the population level that could be used as indicators.

Results: We recommend (and grade the strength of evidence supporting our recommendation for) the following indicators for which data are already routinely collected: unemployment rate (strong), long-term unemployment rate (limited), and permanent lay-off rate (limited). As well, we recommend and grade our support for the following new indicators: insecurity associated with pending job loss (limited), with possible major organizational change (limited), and with actual major organizational change (limited); and job strain (medium).

Conclusion: These evidence-based indicators can be used to monitor work-related determinants of health and thus to inform the conceptualization, development, and evaluation of policies and programs related to these determinants.

Résumé

Objectif: Formuler des recommandations fondées sur des preuves au sujet des indicateurs de santé de la population liés au travail.

Méthode: En nous appuyant sur une typologie d’expériences d’ordre professionnel, nous avons systématiquement examiné des études portant sur les liens entre ces expériences et la santé; nous avons aussi évalué des mesures connexes de la population pouvant servir d’indicateurs.

Résultats: Nous recommandons l’emploi des indicateurs suivants, pour lesquels on recueille déjà périodiquement des données (avec entre parenthèses le degré de pertinence des observations cliniques à l’appui): taux de chômage (fort); taux de chômage chronique (limité); et taux de licenciement (limité). De plus, nous recommandons l’emploi des nouveaux indicateurs suivants: insécurité liée à une perte d’emploi imminente (limité); à d’éventuels changements organisationnels importants (limité); à de réels changements organisationnels importants (limité); et aux contraintes professionnelles (moyen).

Conclusion: Ces indicateurs fondés sur des preuves peuvent servir à évaluer les déterminants professionnels de la santé et ainsi à éclairer la conceptualisation, l’élaboration et l’évaluation des politiques et des programmes connexes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Work & Health, 250 Bloor St. East, Suite 702, Toronto, ON, M4W 1E6, Canada

    John N. Lavis MD, PhD, Cameron A. Mustard ScD, Jennifer I. Payne PhD & Mark S. R. Farrant BAHons

  2. Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    John N. Lavis MD, PhD

  3. Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Canada

    John N. Lavis MD, PhD

  4. Population Health Program, The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, Canada

    John N. Lavis MD, PhD & Cameron A. Mustard ScD

  5. Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Cameron A. Mustard ScD & Jennifer I. Payne PhD

Authors
  1. John N. Lavis MD, PhD
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  2. Cameron A. Mustard ScD
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  3. Jennifer I. Payne PhD
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  4. Mark S. R. Farrant BAHons
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to John N. Lavis MD, PhD.

Additional information

The report on which this paper is based was funded by Health Canada under contract 97107. The views expressed herein are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or official policy of Health Canada. John Lavis and Jennifer Payne receive partial salary support from The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.

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Lavis, J.N., Mustard, C.A., Payne, J.I. et al. Work-Related Population Health Indicators. Can J Public Health 92, 72–78 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404849

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404849

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