Return to Work Experiences of Ontario Public Safety Personnel with Work-Related Psychological Injuries

Public safety personnel (PSP) perform work that puts them at greater risk of psychological injury than the general public. PSP who subsequently develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other mental health conditions may need to take time off of work and use the workers compensation system. Very little is known about the experiences of PSP making this type of claim in Ontario to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), or which healthcare professionals (HCP) PSP access as part of the treatment and return to work (RTW) process. This study captures the experiences of Ontario PSP in their RTW journeys, including with employers, WSIB, and HCPs.

A survey-based study was conducted, using email and social media platforms to distribute the survey to PSP across Ontario. Quantitative data were summarized using means and frequencies, and open text results were analyzed using qualitative framework analysis.

145 survey respondents met the inclusion criteria for the study. On a scale out of 5, PSP rated their experience with WSIB and employer support as poor on their first RTW attempt with an average rating of 2.93 and 2.46 respectively. The top three HCPs accessed by PSP were psychologists (61%), occupational therapists (OT; 60%) and general practitioners (GP; 44%). Respondents identified the cultural competence of HCPs in understanding their work demands and work culture as very important.

To improve RTW experiences for PSP who make a workers compensation claim for a psychological injury, an increase in HCP cultural competence related to PSP work is indicated, as well as improved RTW processes and workplace support.