Characterizing the nature of home care work and occupational hazards: a developmental intervention study

Details

• Personal Author:
  Brouillette N ; Galligan C ; Markkanen, Pia ; Okyere D ; Quinn M ; Sama S
• Description:
  Background: Home care (HC) aide is the fastest growing occupation, yet job hazards are under-studied. This study documents the context of HC aide work, characterizes occupational safety and health (OSH) hazards, and identifies preventive interventions using qualitative methods. Methods: We conducted 12 focus groups among aides and 26 in-depth interviews comprising 15 HC agency, union, and insurance company representatives as well as 11 HC recipients in Massachusetts. All focus groups and interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded with NVIVO software. Results: Major OSH concerns were musculoskeletal disorders from client care tasks and verbal abuse. Performing tasks beyond specified job duties may be an OSH risk factor. HC aides' safety and clients' safety are closely linked. Client handling devices, client evaluation, care plan development, and training are key interventions for both aides' and clients' safety. Conclusions: Promoting OSH in HC is essential for maintaining a viable workforce. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Health Personnel Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal System Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety Safety Management Staff Development Surveys And Questionnaires Violence
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Home Care Health Health-care-personnel Health-surveys Home Care Aides Home Healthcare Injury-prevention Musculoskeletal-disorders Occupational-hazards Occupational Safety And Patient Safety Preventive Interventions Qualitative-analysis Safety-climate Safety-measures Training Violence-prevention Worker Safety

  More +
• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  445-457
• Volume:
  57
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20043866
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 2014 Apr; 57(4):445-457
• Contact Point Address:
  Pia Markkanen, Research Professor, Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, One University Avenue, Lowell, MA 01854
• Email:
  pia_markkanen@uml.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2014
• NORA Priority Area:
  Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Performing Organization:
  University of Massachusetts - Lowell
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20040901
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• End Date:
  20230831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:47d43123fd216ab4641a03c93ca7f639a718f41c1c4d9922538873595a4fb289299658dc58b1c52425cb1a33e66d125ade4db640c70e1b38544d6d5ec362e7c9
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/199741/cdc_199741_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 157.16 KB ]