Grants and Contributions:
Title:
A virtual reality intervention to improve workplace functioning in british columbians with depression: the bwell-d cognitive care platform
Agreement Number:
947418
Agreement Value:
$84,770.00
Agreement Date:
Apr 30, 2020 - Mar 31, 2022
Description:
Depression costs the Canadian economy over $30 billion annually in reduced workplace productivity (Conference Board of Canada, 2016); the annual costs to the average British Columbian company with 500 employees is $1.4 million (BC Business and Economic Roundtable on Mental Health, 2007). While absenteeism (defined as employees taking time off work due to their symptoms) is certainly a contributor to this economic burden, the costs of presenteeism (defined as employees being physically present but less productive due to their symptoms) are even more substantial (Evans-Lacko & Knapp, 2016). Thus, individuals with depression require support both to return to work and to facilitate their functional recovery while there.
In response to this problem, workplace mental health programs to identify and treat employees with depression have become increasingly popular. While such programs are helpful in reducing depression symptom severity, they do not necessarily result in significant improvements in workplace productivity or decreases in presenteeism (Fukuwara et al. 2011; Wang et al. 2007; Lerner and Henke, 2008). Even individuals who show substantial clinical improvement continue to demonstrate impairments in workplace functioning compared to neverdepressed individuals (Adler et al., 2006). These workplace-specific findings align with the broader literature in depression, which has shown that improvements in multiple aspects of real world functioning do not always parallel improvements in traditionally-defined symptoms of depression (Bortolato et al. 2016; Sheehan et al.,2017). Thus, depression treatment strategies specifically targeting functional recovery in the workplace remains an unmet need.
Organization:
National Research Council Canada
Expected Results:
In the short term, anticipated outcomes will be strengthened collaborations across industry, academia, and government to support research excellence. In the medium term, anticipated outcomes will be the development of new and potentially disruptive technologies with collaborators. In the long term, find collaborative solutions to public policy challenges and create stronger innovation systems.
Location:
Vancouver, British Columbia, CA V6T 1Z3
Reference Number:
172-2020-2021-Q4-947418
Agreement Type:
Grant
Report Type:
Grants and Contributions
Recipient Business Number:
108161779
Recipient Type:
Academia
Additional Information:
This agreement has been amended 1 time(s). The end date of this agreements has been modified by 454 days.
Amendment Date
Mar 20, 2021
Recipient's Legal Name:
The University of British Columbia
Federal Riding Name:
Vancouver Quadra
Federal Riding Number:
59039
Program:
Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program - Collaborative R&D Initiatives
Program Purpose:
Collaborate on multiparty research and development programs to catalyze transformative, high-risk, high-reward research with the potential for game-changing scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs in priority areas.
NAICS Code:
541710 - R&D in the physical, engineering and life sciences
Amendments: