Premium
Safety of union home care aides in Washington State
Author(s) -
Schoenfisch Ashley L.,
Lipscomb Hester,
Phillips Leslie E.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.22747
Subject(s) - medicine , state (computer science) , gerontology , environmental health , nursing , family medicine , medical emergency , algorithm , computer science
A rate‐based understanding of home care aides’ adverse occupational outcomes related to their work location and care tasks is lacking. Methods Within a 30‐month, dynamic cohort of 43 394 home care aides in Washington State, injury rates were calculated by aides’ demographic and work characteristics. Injury narratives and focus groups provided contextual detail. Results Injury rates were higher for home care aides categorized as female, white, 50 to <65 years old, less experienced, with a primary language of English, and working through an agency (versus individual providers). In addition to direct occupational hazards, variability in workload, income, and supervisory/social support is of concern. Conclusions Policies should address the roles and training of home care aides, consumers, and managers/supervisors. Home care aides’ improved access to often‐existing resources to identify, manage, and eliminate occupational hazards is called for to prevent injuries and address concerns related to the vulnerability of this needed workforce.