CREOD, the Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease, is dedicated to improving understanding and prevention of occupational disease. CREOD’s work addresses all parts of the health and safety continuum, including prevention, exposure assessment, early recognition, diagnosis, treatment, return-to-work, and outcomes, and features research programs in Occupational Lung Disease, Occupational Skin Disease, Hand-Arm Vibrations Syndrome and Biological Hazards. CREOD is a collaborative program of the University of Toronto and St Michael’s Hospital, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Labour. It was founded in 2004 with support from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.

Dr. D. Linn Holness is Director of the Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease, Professor Emerita, University of Toronto, and an Occupational Medicine Physician at St. Michael’s Hospital. Dr. Holness has done extensive research in the area of occupational health and safety in healthcare, with research interests spanning occupational disease and its identification, occupational health services and occupational health and safety for sub-populations including vulnerable workers. Her primary research focus is on prevention, health care utilization, diagnosis, return to work, and outcomes related to occupational skin disease.

“CREOD and VHA have been working together for three years -this has been a productive partnership developing and testing practical solutions to enhance occupational health and safety in workplaces. The research team from VHA are amazing to work with. In addition to their expertise, they are engaged and responsive, facilitating the research work. I look forward to continued research with VHA.”

Projects:

Testing the hand dermatitis screen tool in the home health care sector

Spot It! Prevent It!