Supervisor: Prof. Kirsten Vallmuur

Co-Supervisors: Dr. Clifford Afoakwah

Thesis title: The economics of work-related injuries in Australia: a population-based cohort study

Thesis Summary: While work is vital for survival, it can also cause injuries and illnesses, as workers spend about one-third of their day at work. Work-related injuries encompass physical injuries, psychological disorders, or illnesses that happen while a person is working, commuting to or from work, during scheduled breaks, or directly from performing job-related duties. Quantifying the economic burden of injury to society requires data linkage between health and compensation systems; however, existing studies have largely relied on single data sources and focused primarily on the acute phase of the injury. To address these gaps, this study will use linked administrative health and compensation data to undertake a comprehensive longitudinal analysis of the direct and indirect economic burden of work-related injuries in Australia, using Queensland as a case study.  The research will also examine the trajectories of recovery in health-related quality of life following work-related injury, generating evidence to inform the design of tailored interventions aimed at improving individual recovery outcomes.