Research Updates

This page lists all research updates available on Return to Work Matters.

Research is chosen for review based on quality of the evidence and its practical value in return to work.

Requests to undertake reviews of research on particular subjects are welcome.

Click the ‘Topics’ button below to drill down into all articles and research updates on your topic of interest.

Can AI-powered tools support workers’ mental health?

contributorLauren Finestone

A platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI) could help address workplace stress, enhance...

What impact do RTW coordinators have on the outcomes of injured or ill workers?

contributorLauren Finestone

What makes RTW coordinators effective in getting injured and ill workers back to work, and back...

An (a)gender for change — how workplace injustice harms female police officers' health

contributorLauren Finestone

A study reveals how deeply embedded unfairness in police organisations threatens both the...

‘I’m pulling through because of you’ — how co-workers’ and supervisors’ support helps RTW

contributorLauren Finestone

A study highlights the importance of support from co-workers and direct supervisors in...

Beliefs about scans may affect outcomes for people with musculoskeletal disorders

contributorLauren Finestone

In a study of people with musculoskeletal conditions, more than 60% of participants held at...

Hard hats prefer softer approaches when it comes to mental health support

contributorLauren Finestone

A study reveals that construction workers prefer informal support for mental health issues,...

Turning challenges into opportunities — promoting clinician well-being in compensable injury schemes

contributorLauren Finestone

Treating people with an injury compensation claim has its challenges. But it can also be a...

Physical activity — the ‘go-to move’ for people living with persistent pain

contributorLauren Finestone

A European Pain Federation position paper recommends 5 evidence-based practices for health...

What motivates workers to improve their health?

contributorLauren Finestone

A personalised approach and workplace support are the keys to helping a worker adopt healthier...

Supervisor support shields employees from the effects of workplace bullying

contributorLauren Finestone

Workers who receive support from their supervisors are less likely to experience bullying or...

Not just a military problem — how concerned should we be about work-related moral injury?

contributorLauren Finestone

An under-recognised workplace injury — moral injury and post-traumatic embitterment disorder —...

What do people with persistent back pain expect from their physio?

contributorLauren Finestone

Understanding what patients expect when they attend for persistent low back pain and adopting a...

Education — the key to busting myths about the need for imaging for low back pain

contributorLauren Finestone

A study shows how common incorrect beliefs about spinal scans are and reinforces the importance...

Healthy workplaces create healthy bottom lines

contributorLauren Finestone

When workers feel their employer truly cares about protecting their mental health everyone is...

41,000 years lost — the real price of workplace injuries

contributorLauren Finestone

A study reveals the staggering impact of workplace injuries and illnesses in Australia.

Let’s get personal — how we ask for and receive help matters

contributorLauren Finestone

A study shows that personal contact is the best way for people to get the help they need.

There’s more to RTW than just getting back to work

contributorLauren Finestone

Successful RTW isn't just about what happens back at work. It’s a complex dance that involves...

A new tool to help rehab professionals tailor care for injured workers

contributorLauren Finestone

A new decision aid tool is showing promise in helping vocational rehabilitation professionals...

Help me if you can, I’m feeling down — addressing mental health at work

contributorLauren Finestone

Interventions for mental health issues must address the individual, organisational and systemic...

Improving RTW practices for injured police officers

contributorLauren Finestone

Police officers are at high risk for work injuries and illnesses. How can organisations provide...

Is motivational interviewing effective in workers’ comp schemes?

contributorLauren Finestone

Motivational interviewing is used in case management in many Australian personal injury...

The spine-tingling truth — guideline blindness among many physios who treat low back pain

contributorLauren Finestone

A study finds that many physios are unfamiliar with guidelines on treating low back pain and...

Cognitive-behavioural therapy-based interventions support RTW

contributorLauren Finestone

A study shows that cognitive-behavioural therapy-based interventions can reduce sick leave and...

How supervisors can prevent staff burnout

contributorLauren Finestone

Supervisors’ personal experiences of burnout, their attitudes towards mental health and the...

What levers can rehab professionals pull to promote staying at work after injury?

contributorLauren Finestone

Occupational rehab professionals can help workers adopt preventive behaviours when returning to...

‘It's just bone crunchin’ on bone’ — an example of non-recovery-oriented messaging

contributorLauren Finestone

Healthcare practitioners can worsen their patients’ condition if they communicate negative...

Culture not trauma — a new approach to identifying and preventing mental harm in first responders: Part 2

contributorLauren Finestone

A study highlights the importance of addressing ‘moral injury’, organisational practices and...

The enduring impact of what clinicians say to people with low back pain

contributorLauren Finestone

Healthcare professionals have more influence than they may realise on the attitudes and beliefs...

‘This is so unfair’. Preventing perceptions of injustice after a work injury.

contributorLauren Finestone

A sense of injustice is common among injured workers and can prolong their suffering. What...

Culture not trauma — a new approach to identifying and preventing mental harm in first responders (Part 1)

contributorLauren Finestone

A study suggests it’s time for a rethink on what causes distress in first responders and how to...

The impact of tailored programs on RTW outcomes

contributorLauren Finestone

A study provides valuable insights into long-term outcomes for tailored interventions in...

Professional challenges in private physiotherapy practice

contributorLauren Finestone

A study suggests that competition overrides communication and collaboration in private physio...

How useful are scripted messages? — the link between evidence and practice

contributorLauren Finestone

What does the evidence say about using scripted messages to communicate with people?

What sustains RTW success for workers with mental and musculoskeletal conditions?

contributorLauren Finestone

Supervisors, senior managers and workplace culture play an important role in how well workers do...

The social network — how others’ fears about pain affect RTW

contributorLauren Finestone

The fears that the people around injured workers — their employers, family members and GPs —...

Checking the benefits of workplace mental health screening

contributorLauren Finestone

A study suggests that workplace mental health screening programs on their own may not be very...

‘I rest my case’ — the evidence is in on psychosocial hazards for law teachers

contributorLauren Finestone

Universities need to support student well-being, but this requires them to support the...

‘You look much prettier when you smile’ — emerging psychosocial risks in the hospitality industry

contributorLauren Finestone

A study identifies some new psychosocial risks in hospitality jobs and proposes a way to assess...

What gets in the way of physios using the biopsychosocial model for persistent pain?

contributorLauren Finestone

What things make it harder or easier for physiotherapists to use a biopsychosocial approach when...

Let’s (not just) get physical — psychosocial hazards play a role in musculoskeletal disorders too

contributorLauren Finestone

Three recent studies show how important it is for workplaces to focus on identifying and...