Decreasing occupational injury and disability: The convergence of systems theory, knowledge transfer and action research

Issue title: Collaboration in the workplace, in injury prevention, and in return to work

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Guzman, Jaime^; | Yassi, Annalee^; | Baril, Raymond | Loisel, Patrick^;

Affiliations: Occupational Health & Safety Agency for Healthcare in BC, Vancouver, BC, Canada | Division of Occupational Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada | École de réadaptation, Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil, Québec, QC, Canada | Disability Prevention Research and Training Centre, Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil, QC, Canada | Division of Orthopedics, Department of Surgery, Université de Sherbrooke, QC, Canada

Note: [] Address for correspondence: Dr. Jaime Guzman, 301-1195 West Broadway, Vancouver BC, Canada V6H 3X5. Tel.: +1 778 328 8000; Fax: +1 778 328 8001; E-mail: jaime@ohsah.bc.ca

Abstract: Many work injuries and their associated disabilities are preventable, but effective prevention requires coordinated action by multiple stakeholders. In trying to achieve coordinated action occupational health practitioners can learn valuable lessons from systems theory, knowledge transfer and action research. Systems theory provides a broad view of the factors leading to injury and disability and a means to refocus stakeholder energies from mutual blaming to effective strategies for system change. Experiences from knowledge transfer will help adopt a stakeholder-centered approach that will facilitate the concrete application of the best and most current occupational health knowledge. Action research is a methodology endorsed by the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control, which provide methods for successfully engaging stakeholders needed to attain sustainable change. By combining concepts from the three fields we propose MAPAC (Mobilize, Assess, Plan, Act, Check), a five-step framework for developing projects aimed at decreasing occupational injury and disability. Although most practitioners would be familiar with some of the concepts, we believe an explicit framework linked to transferable knowledge from these diverse fields can help design and implement effective programs. We provide examples of model application in workers compensation and in the healthcare workplace.

Keywords: MAPAC, occupational injury, occupational disability, action research, knowledge transfer

Journal: Work, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 229-239, 2008