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Determining Health: Decent work practice brief

Cette ressource est également disponible en français.

Precarious employment and hazardous work are pressing sources of health inequity in Canada and, as such, are key areas for intentional, well-resourced public health action” (p. 5).

Determining Health: Decent work practice brief is an essential resource for public health practitioners aiming to address precarious employment and hazardous work by advancing decent work as a determinant of health.

This practice brief builds on the foundational Determining Health: Decent work issue brief, which synthesizes evidence to describe the impact of employment and working conditions on the health of workers and populations across Canada.

To meaningfully advance decent work and health equity, the practice brief outlines three essential cross-cutting approaches:

The practice brief applies these approaches to a well-established framework  of public health roles for health equity, providing guidance for public health action on decent work. Each role is accompanied by a real-world example illustrating how public health practitioners and organizations across the country have advanced decent work in various public health spheres.

Lastly, the practice brief outlines key discussion questions to guide those eager to learn more about and take action on decent work. These questions facilitate deeper engagement with the material, encouraging practitioners to critically examine their approaches and strategies in addressing precarious employment and hazardous working conditions.

Use this resource to:

  • Facilitate discussion on strategies to advance decent work and health equity
  • Guide partnership building with worker-led groups to promote decent work initiatives
  • Advocate for improved data collection in your organization to address knowledge gaps concerning the health implications of precarious employment and hazardous working conditions in your jurisdiction

 

Related Resources:

Advocacy wins – Paid sick Days, public support and sustainable change. Equity in Action (2022)

Peel Public Health tackles inequities in workplaces and increases access to worker protections during COVID-19. Equity in Action (2022)

Learning from Practice: Joint Action for Equity – Community-centred collaboration responds to Cargill outbreak (2023)

Learning from Practice: Building Community Power for Health Equity – Case study of nail technicians in Greater Toronto (2023)

See other resources related to decent work and health equity.


Reference

National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health. (2024). Determining Health: Decent work practice brief. Antigonish, NS: NCCDH, St. Francis Xavier University.  

Tags: Working conditions, Modify and orient interventions, Document, Practice Brief, Determining Health