August 29, 2023 – Thunder Bay, Ont.   

Have you ever wondered how your workplace is impacting your mental health?  

EPID@Work (Enhancing the Prevention of Injury and Disability at Work) Research Institute is launching the largest cohort study ever conducted in Northwestern Ontario, which will examine workplace factors for mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.  

EPID@Work Research Institute at Lakehead University is funded by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. 

“We conduct community-driven research in the areas of work-related injury and disability prevention with a particular focus on issues relevant to Northwestern Ontario,” said Dr. Vicki Kristman, EPID’s Director and Senior Scientist. 

“Our institute has three focus areas: mental health in the workplace, equity, diversity and inclusion, and knowledge mobilization and implementation. Our aim is to bring together community and academic professionals to conduct research that is meaningful to all involved. 

“The Northwestern Ontario Workplace & Worker Health Cohort Study (NOWWHS) will be a groundbreaking new study for the institute and for our region as a whole,” Dr. Kristman said. 

So, what is a cohort study? A cohort study is an observational, long-term study that follows a group of people over time. Anyone who completes the study will be contacted again in six months for a follow-up survey, and every six months after that as long as the study continues. 

The longer the study runs, the better researchers can collect and examine the data – potentially leading to groundbreaking conclusions and interventions for mental health in our workplaces. 

Who can participate? All workers and all employers in Northwestern Ontario are encouraged to participate. 

Whether you are a small business owner or the CEO of a large corporation, we want to help you better understand the mental health of your organization. 

If your workplace is not participating, individual workers can still elect to take the survey.  Old, new, injured, part-time, full-time, and everything in between – we are looking to hear from all workers in Northwestern Ontario. 

What impacts could this study have? 

For workplaces, this could help to provide an understanding of how mentally healthy your workers are and aspects of your workplace that affect the mental wellbeing of your workers. 

EPID@Work is also hopeful to work with employers to develop and test cost-effective interventions to improve the mental health of employees. For workers, participating will give you an opportunity to share your concerns regarding factors affecting mental health in your workplace. 

Once complete, EPID@Work hopes to use your feedback to develop and test cost-effective interventions to improve the mental health of you and your co-workers. All surveys will remain completely confidential. 

Ultimately, the NOWWHS cohort study could have a big impact on the mental health and wellness of workplaces and workers in our region. With a large sample size and a long-term goal, EPID is hopeful that this study will become a powerful tool for change. 

NOWWHS is set to launch mid-September and getting involved in EPID’s cohort study is easy. Just visit www.workinghealth.ca to learn more, sign up your workplace or volunteer as an individual.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8110 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2023 World Universities Rankings for the fourth consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 9,000 students in THE’s 2023 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.