The number of home care aides is rapidly growing, expecting to account for 1.2 million new U.S. jobs by 2026. These workers support clients with self-care and mobility in their homes and can face physical and verbal abuse because of the isolated nature of their work and limited support. Such violence can lead to depression, physical burnout, and high job turnover.
Most studies on violence in healthcare focus on hospitals and other facility-based settings. To fill this research gap, a NIOSH-funded study published in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicineexternal icon looked into home care aides’ experiences of verbal abuse and related risk factors. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Lowell collected information from 954 home care workers through surveys, focus groups, and interviews between September 2012 and April 2013. The researchers asked participants about working conditions within the past year, including verbal abuse from clients and their relatives, health, as well as job security. Researchers also collected information on age, race, and other demographics.