Safety & Health for Home Care Workers in Social Assistance and Healthcare

描述(由申请者提供)：家庭医疗(HC)是美国增长最快的行业之一，未来几十年这一趋势将会增加。这反映了许多因素：传统的住院医疗程序现在在家里进行，技术的进步，医疗成本控制，改进的感染控制，以及大多数美国人希望在家里得到照顾。与此同时，美国人口患有多种慢性病，寿命越来越长，需要越来越复杂的医疗和个人家庭护理。很少考虑到家庭作为工作场所或HC工人的职业安全和健康(OSH)危害。拟议研究的目的是定性和定量地评估HC工作人员经历的广泛的OSH危害，重点是助手，并与HC机构、工会和前线工作人员合作，确定和传播有效的OSH干预措施。这项研究将建立在NIOSH资助的2004-2008年前一项研究的基础上，并将扩大HC行业和劳工合作伙伴的活跃网络。 公共卫生相关性：这项研究旨在改善家庭护理(HC)工作者的职业安全与健康(OSH)，这是一个快速增长、研究不足、低工资、多样化的群体。在HC中确保职业健康安全可以改善患者/客户的健康和安全，以及工作人员的健康和安全。时机至关重要，因为HC是增长最快的行业之一，美国人口老龄化，复杂的医疗和个人护理越来越多地在家里进行。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Home Healthcare (HC) is one of the fastest growing industries in the U.S. and the trend will increase in the next decades. This reflects numerous factors: traditionally in-hospital medical procedures now performed at home, advances in technologies, healthcare cost containment, improved infection control, and the desire of most Americans to be cared for at home. At the same time, the U.S. population is living longer with multiple chronic conditions that require increasingly complex medical and personal home care. Little consideration has been given to the home as a workplace or to the occupational safety and health (OSH) hazards of HC workers. The objective of the proposed study is to assess qualitatively and quantitatively a broad range of OSH hazards experienced by HC workers, with a focus on aides, and to work with HC agencies, unions, and frontline workers to identify and disseminate effective OSH interventions. The research will build on a previous NIOSH- funded study, 2004-2008, and will expand an active network of HC industry and labor partners. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This study aims to improve the occupational safety & health (OSH) of home care (HC) workers, a rapidly growing, under-studied, low-wage, diverse population. Insuring OSH in HC improves the health & safety of patient/clients, as well as that of workers. Timing is critical, as HC is one of the fastest growing industries, the U.S. population is aging, and complex medical and personal care is increasingly done at home.