Prioritizing targets for workplace mental health interventions using routinely collected administrative data

Ted McDonald

W. Shane Journeay

Impact

  • This research provided critical insights into the burden of workplace mental health injuries and the risk factors associated with them.

  • The findings lay the groundwork for better understanding vulnerable populations in the workforce who may be at risk of traumatic mental stress injuries or other mental health challenges at work.

  • The research helped shape policies aimed at early intervention, targeted mental health support, and workforce retention strategies, particularly in high-risk professions like nursing and public safety.

  • The collaboration with government partners and the Vitalité Regional Health Authority is expected to facilitate similar analyses using employee sick leave and disability data from their organizations.

  • New Brunswick

  • Grant

  • Dalhousie University and University of New Brunswick

  • New Brunswick Institute for Research, Data and Training (NB-IRT)

  • Research NB

  • 2021-2022

  • Workplace Mental Health

  • People at work

About the Project

The primary objective of this research was to identify the workforce groups most impacted by mental health diagnoses as part of their workplace injuries, with a particular focus on the diagnosis of a primary traumatic mental stress injury (TMSI), as well as other mental health diagnoses.

Methodology

The project analyzed routinely collected administrative data from workers' compensation claims and were linked with Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System to assess workers’ pre-existing mental health conditions. The data was then compared and analyzed for TMSI, other mental health injuries and claims without mental health injuries, with specific focus given to occupational categories such as healthcare workers and public safety personnel.

Findings

  • Mental health injury claims are a small percentage of total approved claims but tend to last significantly longer.

  • 25% of completed TMSI and other mental health claims lasted at least 420 days.

  • 50% of TMSI claims remained open at the end of the study, with 60% of these exceeding 420 days.

  • Workers aged 25-44 were more likely to have approved mental health claims than younger or older workers.

  • Nurses had disproportionately high rates of TMSI claims, along with police, firefighters, and other public safety personnel.

  • Close to 60% of claimants had prevalence of pre-existing mood and anxiety conditions.

Project Outreach

  • Findings will be communicated to WorkSafeNB and other provincial workers compensation boards nationally. Furthermore, there will be outreach efforts with specific occupational groups / stakeholders in workplace mental health and traumatic mental stress injuries pending publication of our results (in progress).

Resources Created

  • 1-2 anticipated peer-reviewed publications in occupational and mental health research journals (In progress).

  • Multiple stakeholder presentations for knowledge dissemination and feedback (WCBs, occupational groups) (In progress).

  • Establishment of a novel data linkage process that can streamline future research in workplace mental health.