Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders and Prevention Among Home Healthcare Workers

Abstract

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are common and costly, particularly among home healthcare workers. These workers are a particularly interesting occupational group because of growth of the home healthcare industry and specific patient transfer exposures. This cross-sectional study of 883 home healthcare workers from 17 agencies evaluated self-reported personal and occupational factors related to 1-year period prevalence of neck pain. One-year prevalence odds ratios (PORs) were calculated by separately comparing WMSDs in aides and nurses to office workers/therapists. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed for WMSDs. For neck pain the potential confounders included in the logistic regression models were: age, gender, smoking history (calculated in pack years), body mass index (BMI), time spent performing aerobic exercises, personal psychosocial factors, work related psychosocial factors, miles traveled in an automobile during an average day, and the degree to which the HHCW felt rushed or hurried traveling from patient to patient. Many occupational and non-occupational factors were statistically significantly related to 1-year period prevalence of neck pain with prevalence odds ratios for home healthcare aides at 1.99 after adjustment for above factors. Nurses had higher statistically significant risk estimates at 2.17. Both home healthcare aides and nurses are at increased risk for neck pain.

Keywords: Home Healthcare Workers, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Prevention

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe100085