Chapter 7, Social Determinants of Health, 2nd Ed., Raphael, 2009.
Seven Key Dimensions of Employment Impacting Health and Wellbeing.
- Job and Employment Security
21% of Canadians worry about losing their jobs.
Only half of working age Canadians have had a single full time job for over 6 months (2009).
Women are over-represented in forms of precarious work.
- Physical Conditions of Work
31% of Canadians feel that their employment puts their health at risk.
Five work related deaths in Canada every day ( Based on 230 work days/year). 2005
One in every 65 workers injured (2009). http://www4.rhdcc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=20
- Working Time
1in 4 workers work overtime: most unpaid.
- Work Pace and Stress
The incidence of stress from “too many demands or hours” is at 40% in the sectors of education, health and social services.
- Opportunities for Self Expression and Individual Development at Work
1 in 4 Canadians feel over qualified for their jobs. (www.jobquality.ca)
- Participation at work
Only 10% feel they can strongly influence employer decisions.
- Work-Life Balance
Work life stress results in high public and private healthcare costs.
High Job Strain (High psychological demands at work combined with a low degree of control over the work process) is linked to increased risk of physical injuries at work,
high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, depression and other mental health conditions, plus increased lifestyle risks to health.
Experts estimate 10 – 40% of cancers may be caused primarily by workplace exposures.
What We Need:
· Increased government intervention to shape and improve workplace conditions, policy and law. http://www.mentalhealthworks.ca/why-it-matters/law
· Systematic Canadian information, evidence, and studies focusing on working environments and conditions.
· Collective and organised action through unionization of workplaces to balance power between employees and employers
Stronger legislation g
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