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Occupational Health Issues Among Employees of Home Care Agencies*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Margaret A. Denton ,
Isik Urla Zeytinoglu ,
Sharon Webb  and
Jason Lian
Margaret A. Denton
Affiliation:
McMaster University
Isik Urla Zeytinoglu
Affiliation:
McMaster University
Sharon Webb
Affiliation:
McMaster University
Jason Lian
Affiliation:
McMaster University
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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore occupational health issues among employees of home care agencies. Results of a survey of 892 office and visiting employees of three not-for-profit home care agencies and focus group discussions show that employees of home care agencies experience high levels of stress, tiredness and exhaustion. This work-related stress is most acutely felt by those in managerial occupations, nurses and therapists. When compared to findings from the Canadian National Population Health Survey, employees of home care agencies are found to be significantly more likely than all working women to suffer from allergies, asthma, arthritis or rheumatism, back problems, high blood pressure, migraine headaches, and work-related injuries in the past year. Many employees of home care agencies suffer pain or discomfort in several body locations. Visiting employees of home care agencies suffer from sprains or strains, dislocations, fractures, and bruises as a result of lifting or moving clients, bending or straining, accidental falls, repetitive motion injuries, and motor vehicle accidents. Home care office staff suffer from repetitive strain injuries and respiratory illness. Implications for policy and research are discussed.

Résumé

L'objectif de cette communication est d'explorer les problèmes de santé occupationnelle qui touchent les employés des agences de soins à domicile. Les résultats d'un sondage et de groupes de discussion menés auprès de 892 employés de bureau et employés itinérants de trois agences de soins à domicile sans but lucratif montrent que les employés des agences de soins à domicile présentent un degré élevé de stress, de fatigue et d'épuisement. Ce stress relié au travail est particulièrement ressenti par les cadres, les infirmières et les thérapeutes. Lorsqu'on les compare aux résultats de l'Enquête sur la santé des Canadiens, on note que les employées des agences de soins à domicile sont plus susceptibles que la moyenne des travailleuses de souffrir d'allergies, d'asthme, d'arthrite ou de rhumatismes, de problème de dos, de haute pression, de migraines et de blessures reliées au travail. Plusieurs employées d'agences de soins à domicile signalent des douleurs ou des malaises dans plusieurs parties du corps. Les employées itinérantes de ces agences souffrent d'entorses ou de foulures, de luxations, de fractures et d'ecchymoses consécutives au fait qu'elle doivent soulever ou déplacer des patients, se pencher ou forcer, ou qu'elles font des chutes accidentelles. Elles souffrent également davantage de microtraumatismes répétés et ont davantage d'accidents d'automobiles. Le personnel de bureau des agences souffre de microtraumatismes répétés et de problèmes respiratoires. La communication aborde les conséquences pour l'établissement des politiques et la recherche.

Keywords

Home CareOccupational HealthStressPhysical HealthInjuriesSafety.Soins à domicilesanté occupationnellestresssantéblessuressécurité.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , Été/Summer 1999 , pp. 154 - 181
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1999

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