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CISDOC database
| Document ID (ISN) | 110989 |
| CIS number |
10-0534 |
| Year |
2010 |
| Convention or series no. |
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No.2010-125
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| Title |
NIOSH Hazard Review - Occupational hazards in home healthcare |
| Bibliographic information |
Publications Dissemination, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226-2001, USA, Jan. 2010. PDF document. x, 54p. Illus. Bibl.ref. |
| Internet access |
DHHS_(NIOSH)_Publication_No.2010-125.pdf [in English]
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| Abstract |
An aging population and rising hospital costs have created new and increasing demand for innovative healthcare delivery systems in the United States. Home healthcare provides vital medical assistance to ill, elderly, convalescent, or disabled persons who live in their own homes instead of a healthcare facility, and is one of the most rapidly expanding industries. It is forecast that home healthcare employment will grow 55% between 2006 and 2016, making it the fastest growing occupation of the next decade. Home healthcare workers, while contributing greatly to the well-being of others, face unique risks on the job to their own personal safety and health. Home healthcare workers are frequently exposed to a variety of potentially serious or even life-threatening hazards. These dangers include overexertion; stress; guns and other weapons; illegal drugs; verbal abuse and other forms of violence in the home or community; bloodborne pathogens; needlestick injuries; latex sensitivity; temperature extremes; unhygienic conditions, including lack of water, unclean or hostile animals, and animal waste. Long commutes from worksite to worksite also expose the home healthcare worker to transportation-related risks. During 2007, 27,400 recorded injuries occurred among more than 896,800 home healthcare workers. This guide aims to raise awareness and increase understanding of the safety and health risks involved in home healthcare and suggests prevention strategies to reduce the number of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities among workers in this sector. |
| Descriptors (primary) |
USA; occupational diseases; health care personnel; occupational accidents; risk factors |
| Descriptors (secondary) |
conditions of work; physical workload; stress factors; biological hazards; violence; internet document |
| Document type |
F - Information notes, codes of practice, standards |
| Country / State or Province | USA |
| Subject(s) |
Commerce, services, offices
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| Broad subject area(s) |
Industries and occupations
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| Browse category(ies) |
Health care services
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