The Health Consequences of Underemployment and Contingent Work
Principal Investigator(s): Emile Tompa (Institute for Work & Health)
Co-Investigator(s): John Lavis, Cameron Mustard (Institute for Work & Health)
Sponsoring Institution: Institute for Work & Health
Objective
The purpose of this initiative is to undertake research on the health consequences of nonstandard and contingent work experiences. There are three key elements: 1) developing a theoretical framework to describe the relationship between precarious employment experiences and health; 2) conducting empirical analyses that examine the extent to which precarious experiences give rise to adverse health outcomes, and 3) raising awareness among relevant stakeholders about the ongoing changes in the labour market and their potential adverse health consequences.
Method
The first step was to undertake a thorough literature review on constructs associated with work-related insecurity and health. The second step was to develop a conceptual framework to describe the key dimension of work experiences that can give rise to work-related precariousness, and in turn adverse health and well-being outcomes. The third step was to undertake quantitative analyses of 1) cross-sectional and longitudinal trends in non-standard work forms and arrangements and proxies of the dimensions of work-related precariousness, and 2) cohort analyses (regression modelling) of the relationship between exposure to nonstandard work and work-related precariousness and health.
Results
One product of our research was a conceptual framework that illustrates the relationship between work-related precariousness and health. Our trends analysis identified considerable increases in nonstandard work as well as work-related precariousness. In our cohort analyses we have found evidence of a relationship between certain aspects of work-related precariousness and health, as well as an indication of social patterning of exposure to work-related precariousness and adverse health outcomes.
Conclusions
There is a need to review legislation, policies and practices related to the labour-market in light of the nature of work. There is a need to further investigate the social patterning of vulnerability and exposure to work-related precariousness.
For more information:
etompa@iwh.on.ca
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