Annual Report 2022-2023

OHCOW has been a leader in the Prevention System with respect to Workplace Mental Health and Injury Prevention since 2011 when we worked with labour and academic partners to create the Mental Injury Toolkit which is still regularly one of our top 20 website downloads.  The Toolkit is based on the use of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire to identify workplace factors that contribute to stress and mental harm.

OHCOW has since converted the COPSOQ and other validated research questions into the personal and workplace versions of the StressAssess survey tool.  The tool can be used to “take the temperature” of a workplace or evaluate the impact of changes by establishing a baseline and then doing iterative surveys every 1 or 2 years.  It includes national comparison data generated every ~3 years by EKOS on OHCOW’s behalf (2016, 2019 and 2023).  The survey is “self-serve” but we also offer additional support to workplace parties if they would like the data analysed in more detail or some assistance with responding to the information in a constructive and positive way.  In 22/23 several dozen self-serve surveys were created plus OHCOW’s multi-disciplinary WMH Community of Practice staff supported more than 10 workplaces/groups (ranging from 33 to 10000 workers) with additional analysis, knowledge translation and especially figuring out next steps.  Several StressAssess stories, as well as other current Workplace mental Health research, resources and services, were highlighted at OHCOW’s annual Mayday, Mayday webinar series.

Published Peer-Reviewed Papers: Educators During the Pandemic

OHCOW is also quite involved in research in the WMH sphere, as part of the COPSOQ network and with other partners from around the world.  In 22/23 we were named in 3 publications. More information, including links to related presentations can be found on our Workplace Mental Health Landing Page

The pandemic changed education and the lives of students and teachers. Teachers switched from in-person classroom teaching to online technology. Restrictions were in place when in-person classes resumed, such as masking, social distancing, and hybrid learning. Educators had to balance the requirements of teaching with keeping students, and themselves, safe. A pair of peer-reviewed papers by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) and Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) describes how these policies affected Ontario educators. It was a needed perspective, as the bulk of study looking at the effects of pandemic restrictions in schools had focused on children. OHCOW Hygienist John Oudyk and Researcher Leonor Cedillo were co-authors of the papers.

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Educators and the Pandemic: In-Person vs. Virtual

The psychosocial work environment among educators during the COVID-19 pandemic, was published in Occupational Medicine in June 2022.  It's aim was "To compare various dimensions of the psychosocial work environment and health outcomes between educators engaged in online learning to those engaged in in-person learning in the Canadian province of Ontario." The paper looks at the "growing evidence base on the potential advantages and disadvantages of school closures as they relate to the mental and physical health of students, their families, and the broader community."

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See Full Paper

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Keeping Educators Safe

The second paper, Perceived Adequacy of Infection Control Practices and Symptoms of Anxiety Among In-Person Elementary School Educators in Ontario, was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in November 2022. It looks at the adequacy of infection control practices was connected to anxiety among educators in Ontario. Its findings highlighted the importance of adequate administrative and engineering controls in schools, not only to minimize risk of infection, but also for educator's mental health.
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See Full Paper

Young Workers in Public Transportation Services

Essential Public Services, Essential Workers' Health: Union-based initiatives to protect the Mental Health of Young Public Transport Workers.

See Booklet

Accessible, Critical Information for Foreign Workers

Foreign workers experience isolation and stress when they come to Ontario's agricultural communities for temporary work. They are away from their families and culture. OHCOW partners with other organizations to help them adjust, meet other workers and know that they are not alone. Along with other print and social media materials, in 2022 OHCOW published a playlist of videos that explain the various types of supports and services available to international agricultural workers. The short videos are available in English and Spanish,  and cover topics such as health care services and community connection and support. They address their rights as workers in Ontario, and advise on reporting cases of abuse and safety infractions.

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Link to Videos