Knowledge Transfer and Exchange in Work and Health Research

Knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) is the practice of preparing and disseminating research to those who can use it. The burden of workplace injury and illness can be great affecting workers, workplaces, the medical system, insurance systems and society as a whole. Occupational health and safety is an important aspect of prevention of workplace injury and illness. However prevention activities are varied and may not be based on the best available evidence, being therefore less effective than possible. The overall aim of the thesis is to examine and evaluate KTE activities and the conceptual basis for KTE in work and heath research. Specific objectives include i) providing an overview of the KTE approaches from the literature which target workplace audiences; ii) disseminating and documenting the uptake and use of an evidence-based tool (PE guide) across British Columbia; iii) document and describe the dissemination activities and the KTE experiences of research staff within work and health research organizations; and iv) examine the conceptual basis of the work and health KTE activities. This thesis consists of four manuscripts that describe three studies: a narrative review of the literature summarizing KTE approaches in work and health research, a study exploring the dissemination and use of an evidence-based guide, and a survey study evaluating the KTE activities of work and health researchers. Though different methodologies were employed the three studies used an organizing conceptual framework by Lavis et al. (2003) comprised of five questions: (1) What (information disseminated), (2) To Whom (target audience, and context), (3) By Whom (messengers), (4) How (KTE approach), (5) What effect (outcomes, impact). The review findings suggest a variety of KTE approaches to transfer work and health research knowledge to workplaces. The KTE approaches address various target audiences and workplace contexts related to health and safety and tended to be guided by conceptual frameworks. The evaluation of KTE approaches is challenging and future research should be designed to allow for more rigorous evaluation. The study describing the dissemination and use of an evidence-based tool reveals that respondents felt the greatest barrier to using the tool was a lack of time. However those that did use the guide reported using it for training purposes, sharing it, and integrating the tool into existing programs. In addition, new actions related to tool use included training, defining team responsibilities and suggesting program implementation steps. The dissemination study suggests that when evidence-based tools were used they helped work and health audiences overcome some challenges involved in using evidence in implementing injury reduction programs. The study provided a better understanding about the uptake and use of this type of tool. Work and health researchers reported that KTE activities were important and they felt confident about interactions with knowledge users. Respondents reported engaging in various KTE activities that extended beyond the typical academic approaches of ‘publish and present’. However they reported that processes supporting KTE as well as the promotion and evaluation of research use could be improved. The KTE activities of work and health research staff address the categories of two popular KTE conceptual frameworks. However, only one-third of respondents reported using guidance from conceptual frameworks in practice. Future research should examine whether KTE activities based on conceptual frameworks have greater impact than those that are not so guided. Taken together the chapters provide a comprehensive picture of KTE in work and health research. The findings reveal important common elements of KTE from the literature as well as work and health research staff. The findings also provide some evidence that disseminating an evidence-based tool has impacts on practice. However work and health research staff KTE activities still focus on traditional academic avenues and often lack guidance form conceptual frameworks. Future research is necessary to further evaluate KTE practice in work and health

Engaging Occupational Safety and Health Professionals in Bridging Research and Practice:Evaluation of a Participatory Workshop Program in the Danish Construction Industry

Engaging occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals has scarcely been evaluated as a means for transferring knowledge to practice about physical workload in the construction industry. The aim of this work was to examine how participants used and incorporate research-based knowledge from a three-day training course into practice. Twenty OSH professionals from the Danish construction industry participated in a workshop-training course. Researchers presented new knowledge and results about physically demanding work. The participants selected which themes they wanted to work with and developed an action plan. Evaluation was done using surveys and phone interviews. Analysis was based on how the OSH-professionals describe themselves, organizations, and the construction industry. Participant’s average scores on the level of implementation of their chosen action plans were 3 (on a response scale from 1–5, where 1 is ‘to a very low degree’ and 5 is ‘to a very high degree’) immediately after the workshop program and 2.5 at follow-up. Qualitative evaluations showed that actions had been initiated, and some progress had been made. The participants were satisfied with the workshop course and the possibility to increase their knowledge through inputs from researchers and colleges and strongly believe that they would succeed with implementing their action plans in the future

Systematic Review of Prognostic Factors for Return to Work in Workers with Sub Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain

Morgan, John (2012)Teaching Secondary Geography as if the Planet MattersLondres: Routledge, 165 p.ISBN 978-0-415-56387-1Morgan, John (2012)Teaching Secondary Geography as if the Planet MattersLondres: Routledge, 165 p.ISBN 978-0-415-56387-1Morgan, John (2012)Teaching Secondary Geography as if the Planet MattersLondres: Routledge, 165 p.ISBN 978-0-415-56387-1Morgan, John (2012)Teaching Secondary Geography as if the Planet MattersLondres: Routledge, 165 p.ISBN 978-0-415-56387-

Disclosure, Privacy and Workplace Accommodation of Episodic Disabilities: Organizational Perspectives on Disability Communication-Support Processes to Sustain Employment

© 2020, The Author(s). Purpose Employers increasingly are asked to accommodate workers living with physical and mental health conditions that cause episodic disability, where periods of wellness are punctuated by intermittent and often unpredictable activity limitations (e.g., depression, anxiety, arthritis, colitis). Episodic disabilities may be challenging for workplaces which must comply with legislation protecting the privacy of health information while believing they would benefit from personal health details to meet a worker’s accommodation needs. This research aimed to understand organizational perspectives on disability communication-support processes. Methods Twenty-seven participants from diverse employment sectors and who had responsibilities for supporting workers living with episodic disabilities (e.g., supervisors, disability managers, union representatives, occupational health representatives, labour lawyers) were interviewed. Five participants also had lived experience of a physical or mental health episodic disability. Participants were recruited through organizational associations, community networks and advertising. Semi-structured interviews and qualitative content analysis framed data collection and analyses, and mapped communication-support processes. Results Seven themes underpinned communication-support process: (1) similarities and differences among physical and mental health episodic disabilities; (2) cultures of workplace support, including contrasting medical and biopsychosocial perspectives; (3) misgivings about others and their role in communication-support processes; (4) that subjective perceptions matter; (5) the inherent complexity of the response process; (6) challenges arising when a worker denies a disability; and (7) casting disability as a performance problem. Conclusions This study identifies a conceptual framework and areas where workplace disability support processes could be enhanced to improve inclusion and the sustainability of employment among workers living with episodic disabilities

Identifying and categorizing work-related risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders: a scoping review protocol

With continued high rates of MSD and emerging concerns of psychological injuries, workplaces need effective injury prevention and occupational health and safety strategies to address risk factors and reduce injury claim costs. While ergonomic and other occupational health and safety strategies exist to address both MSD and psychological injury respectively, an important step in prevention is risk factor identification. With limited resources for identifying risk factors, there is also a gap in injury prevention in understanding the commonality of risk factors for both work-related MSD and psychological injury. A better understanding of which risk factors are linked with both types of injury, especially in the context of psychosocial factors is necessary to help workplaces optimize their occupational health and safety and reduce both types of injury

A mixed methods examination of knowledge brokers and their use of theoretical frameworks and evaluative practices

Background: Knowledge brokering is a knowledge translation approach that includes making connections between researchers and decision-makers to facilitate the latter’s use of evidence in health promotion and the provision of healthcare. Despite knowledge brokering being well-established in Canada, many knowledge gaps exist, including understanding what theoretical frameworks have been developed and which evaluative practices knowledge brokers (KBs) use. Methods: This study used a mixed methods design to examine how KBs in Canada (1) use frameworks, models and theories in their practice and (2) how they evaluate knowledge brokering interventions. We gathered interview and survey data from KB practitioners to better understand their perspectives on effective practices. Our analysis focused on understanding the theoretical frameworks used by KBs. Results: This study demonstrates that KBs in Canada tend not to rely on theories or models that are specific to knowledge brokering. Rather, study participants/respondents draw on (sometimes multiple) theories and models that are fundamental to the broader field of knowledge translation – in particular, the Knowledge to Action model and the Promoting Action Research in Health Sciences framework. In evaluating the impact of their own knowledge brokering practice, participants/respondents use a wide variety of mechanisms. Evaluation was often seen as less important than supporting knowledge users and/or paying clients in accessing and utilising evidence. Conclusions: Knowledge brokering as a form of knowledge translation continues to expand, but the impact on its targeted knowledge users has yet to be clearly established. The quality of engagement between KBs and their clients might increase – the knowledge brokering can be more impactful – if KBs made efforts to describe, understand and evaluate their activities using theories or models specific to KB.Medicine, Faculty ofNon UBCFamily Practice, Department ofReviewedFacult