Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110535

Teresa Scherzer, PhD, PAS Center, University of California, 3333 California Street, Suite 455, San Francisco, CA 94118, 415-476-0993, scherzt@itsa.ucsf.edu

“Homecare” – or Personal Assistance Services (PAS) – is a primary mode of service delivery in long term care. In the U.S., approximately 1 million homecare/PAS workers provide personal care and housekeeping services for disabled and elderly persons who wish to remain in their own homes. Most of these workers are midlife, low-SES women; and an increasing proportion of workers are hired directly by recipients through “consumer-directed” models of PAS, such as California's program. Research has documented widespread and disabling occupational injury among homecare/PAS workers. However, little is known about their experiences of and responses to occupational injury, and consequences for their health. Given the increasing demand for PAS and the workforce's size and vulnerability, it is important and timely to focus on these issues. This paper presents preliminary findings from a qualitative study. Twenty-five injured PAS workers were interviewed about their experiences of and responses to occupational injury. The sample was ethnically diverse, included family and non-family workers, and approximately half had not filed a workers' compensation claim. Interview topics included descriptions of injuries and perceived causes, access to workers' compensation and injury-related medical attention, and consequences to health.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the session, participants will
• Identify 3 reasons that injured homecare/PAS workers file, or do not file, a workers’ compensation claim;
• Identify 3 barriers or facilitators experienced by injured homecare/PAS workers seeking injury-related medical attention; and
• List 3 barriers or facilitators that are particularly relevant to homecare/PAS workers’ employment situations.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.