University of Washington

Health Systems and Population Health

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

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Jeanne M Sears photo

Jeanne M Sears

Research Professor – Retired, Health Systems and Population Health

206-543-1360 | jeannes@uw.edu

Box 357660
University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195

Research Interests

Safe Workplaces, Sustainable Communities, Health Equity, Occupational Health

Bio

Dr. Sears specializes in occupational health services research, and in program and policy evaluation. She is Co-Director of the Occupational Health Services Research training program, which is part of the Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety, a NIOSH-funded Education and Research Center (ERC). She has evaluated the impact of legislation expanding the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in the workers’ compensation system, as well as policy changes to the vocational rehabilitation system for injured workers. Her current research is focused on investigating the potential for expanded use of existing data resources that have been underutilized for occupational injury surveillance and outcomes research, such as the Washington State Trauma Registry. She is studying methodological issues such as approaches to measuring injury severity in administrative data sets, and the relationship between injury severity and occupational injury trend estimates. She is also involved in assessing the health and cost-related outcomes of interventions related to substance abuse and harm reduction.

Education

PhD Health Services, University of Washington, 2007
MS Nursing, University of California (San Francisco), 2001
BA Biology, University of California (Santa Cruz), 1980

Academic Programs and Affiliations

Recent Publications (PubMed)

Differential underestimation of work-related reinjury risk for older workers: Challenges to producing accurate rate estimates.
PubMed
Sears JM, Fulton-Kehoe D, Hogg-Johnson S. Differential underestimation of work-related reinjury risk for older workers: Challenges to producing accurate rate estimates. Am J Ind Med. 2022 Jun 4. doi: 10.1002/ajim.23403. [Epub ahead of print]
Workplace Wellness Program Interest and Barriers Among Workers With Work-Related Permanent Impairments.
PubMed
Sears JM, Edmonds AT, Hannon PA, Schulman BA, Fulton-Kehoe D. Workplace Wellness Program Interest and Barriers Among Workers With Work-Related Permanent Impairments. Workplace Health Saf. 2022 Apr 6:21650799221076872. doi: 10.1177/21650799221076872. [Epub
Trends and Disparities in the Use of Telehealth Among Injured Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
PubMed
Le VT, Fulton-Kehoe D, Sears JM, Nkyekyer EW, Ehde DM, Young M, Franklin GM. Trends and Disparities in the Use of Telehealth Among Injured Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Occup Environ Med. 2022 Apr 1;64(4):e249-e256. doi: 10.1097/JOM.000000000000
Development and Evaluation of an Online Toolkit for Managers of 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Centers to Reduce Occupational Stress.
PubMed
Meischke H, Rogers M, Manchanda S, Sears JM, Revere D, Grewal R, Beaton R. Development and Evaluation of an Online Toolkit for Managers of 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Centers to Reduce Occupational Stress. Health Promot Pract. 2021 Oct 4:15248399211042
Appraisal of Washington State workers’ compensation-based return-to-work programs and suggested system improvements: A survey of workers with permanent impairments.
PubMed
Sears JM, Edmonds AT, MacEachen E, Fulton-Kehoe D. Appraisal of Washington State workers’ compensation-based return-to-work programs and suggested system improvements: A survey of workers with permanent impairments. Am J Ind Med. 2021 Nov;64(11):924-940.
The role of nonstandard and precarious jobs in the well-being of disabled workers during workforce reintegration.
PubMed
Edmonds AT, Sears JM, O’Connor A, Peckham T. The role of nonstandard and precarious jobs in the well-being of disabled workers during workforce reintegration. Am J Ind Med. 2021 Aug;64(8):667-679. doi: 10.1002/ajim.23254. Epub 2021 May 18.
Workplace improvements to support safe and sustained return to work: Suggestions from a survey of workers with permanent impairments.
PubMed
Sears JM, Edmonds AT, MacEachen E, Fulton-Kehoe D. Workplace improvements to support safe and sustained return to work: Suggestions from a survey of workers with permanent impairments. Am J Ind Med. 2021 Sep;64(9):731-743. doi: 10.1002/ajim.23274. Epub 20
Workplace Organizational and Psychosocial Factors Associated with Return-to-Work Interruption and Reinjury Among Workers with Permanent Impairment.
PubMed
Sears JM, Schulman BA, Fulton-Kehoe D, Hogg-Johnson S. Workplace Organizational and Psychosocial Factors Associated with Return-to-Work Interruption and Reinjury Among Workers with Permanent Impairment. Ann Work Expo Health. 2021 Jun 12;65(5):566-580. doi
Initial return to work and long-term employment patterns: Associations with work-related permanent impairment and with participation in workers’ compensation-based return-to-work programs.
PubMed
Sears JM, Fulton-Kehoe D, Hogg-Johnson S. Initial return to work and long-term employment patterns: Associations with work-related permanent impairment and with participation in workers’ compensation-based return-to-work programs. Am J Ind Med. 2021 May;6
Changes in early high-risk opioid prescribing practices after policy interventions in Washington State.
PubMed
Sears JM, Haight JR, Fulton-Kehoe D, Wickizer TM, Mai J, Franklin GM. Changes in early high-risk opioid prescribing practices after policy interventions in Washington State. Health Serv Res. 2021 Feb;56(1):49-60. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13564. Epub 2020 Oc

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