Health status evaluations in remote camp workers and impacts of the pandemic

There is an urgent need to better understand large-scale disruptions, including the pandemic, and related workplace health policy changes impact the health and wellness of fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers, who already experience high levels of stress and anxiety due to their unique work arrangement. During the pandemic, companies made drastic changes to ensure employee safety when living on a work site that may have had unintended consequences. This research is conducted in partnership with the Mood Disorders Society of Canada to better understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated workplace and public health policies on worker productivity, mental and physical health in FIFO work sites. The research project is mixed-methods, comprising two phases: 1) an evaluation of employee experiences and needs related to FIFO during the pandemic; and 2) a pilot study on feasibility characteristics of smartwatches as tools for remote medical monitoring in FIFO work camps.

By better understanding such these effects, we can better position businesses and society overall to sustain large-scale public health emergencies with employee-centered policies and innovations for improved healthcare delivery. Interventions that improve worker health are expected to increase productivity and economic output….

Faculty Supervisor:

Jake Hayward;Andy Greenshaw

Student:

Partner:

Mood Disorders Society of Canada

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

University of Alberta

Program: