Warwick Medical School has been awarded £440,000 by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) for a major new study exploring how job quality affects workers' health.

The funding is part of a wider £1.5 million investment by the NIHR in the University of Warwick, supporting research into tackling health-related economic inactivity in the UK.

The Warwick-led project, Creating Healthy Jobs, will investigate how job design influences both mental and physical wellbeing. Poor job quality has been strongly linked to long-term sickness absence and economic inactivity, making it a key area of concern for public health and the economy.

The project team at Warwick Medical School includes Dr Carla Toro (WMS Principal Investigator), Professor Jason Madan, Professor Sophie Staniszewska and Dr Sagar Jilka. Their work will focus on:

• Analysing datasets to understand the impacts of work on health and health inequalities
• Developing innovative economic models
• Leading public engagement, involvement and knowledge mobilisation

Dr Carla Toro said: “This is an exciting interdisciplinary project bringing together employment research expertise from social sciences (Institute of Employment Research, IER) and expertise from WMS in applied health, health economics and PPIE research to push the boundaries of knowledge on the links between job quality, health and health inequalities. We will work closely with Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the hospitality sector from the outset of the project to ensure that findings are adopted and inform regional and national policy to reduce work-related ill health and improve job sustainability.”

This project is one of four studies funded under the NIHR’s Work and Health Research Initiative, which supports the working-age population in remaining in, returning to, and leaving work in ways that promote overall wellbeing.

For more information about the Work and Health Research Initiative, visit the NIHR websiteLink opens in a new window.