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

描述（由申请人提供）：家庭医疗保健（HC）是美国发展最快的行业之一，未来几十年将呈增长趋势。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，医疗成本的控制，感染控制的改善，以及大多数美国人希望在家里接受治疗。与此同时，患有多种慢性疾病的美国人的寿命越来越长，这些疾病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卫生保健工作者的职业安全和健康危害。拟议研究的目的是定性和定量地评估健康中心工作人员所经历的广泛的职业健康安全危害，重点是助手，并与健康中心机构、工会和一线工作人员合作，确定和传播有效的职业健康安全干预措施。该研究将建立在先前NIOSH资助的2004-2008年研究的基础上，并将扩大HC行业和劳工合作伙伴的活跃网络。

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.