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Methodological Issues in Work Disability Prevention Research

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Handbook of Work Disability

Abstract

The methodologies used in work disability prevention (WDP) research have advanced considerably over the past several decades. In this chapter, we discuss the importance of methodology to the researcher. We then highlight the complexity of WDP which requires different disciplinary perspectives to fully understand and address the problem. Some challenges that arise when researchers from different disciplines try to work together are presented and approaches for integrating across disciplines are described with examples from the literature. In the last part of the chapter, we describe some particular challenges that arise when conducting WDP research. These include (1) the challenges of having workplaces as the research setting; (2) reluctant respondents; (3) multiple perspectives, multiple levels of influence and complex pathways; (4) ethical conduct in WDP research; and (5) interacting with stakeholders.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Work and Health, 481 University Avenue, Suite 800, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 2E9

    Sheilah Hogg-Johnson Ph.D. & Ellen MacEachen Ph.D.

  2. Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5T 3M7

    Sheilah Hogg-Johnson Ph.D. & Ellen MacEachen Ph.D.

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  1. Sheilah Hogg-Johnson Ph.D.
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  2. Ellen MacEachen Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Sheilah Hogg-Johnson Ph.D. .

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  1. University of Toronto, College Street 155, Toronto, M5T 3M7, Ontario, Canada

    Patrick Loisel

  2. EMGO Institute for Health and Care Resea, Department of Public and Occupational He, VU University Medical Center, AMC-UMCG-UWV-VUmc, Amsterdam, NL-1081 BT, Netherlands

    Johannes R. Anema

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Hogg-Johnson, S., MacEachen, E. (2013). Methodological Issues in Work Disability Prevention Research. In: Loisel, P., Anema, J. (eds) Handbook of Work Disability. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6214-9_9

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