TY - JOUR
T1 - Forgotten Front Line
T2 - Understanding the Needs of Unionized Home Health Aides in Downstate New York During the COVID-19 Pandemic
AU - Pinto, Sanjay
AU - Ma, Chenjuan
AU - Wiggins, Faith
AU - Ecker, Sarah
AU - Obodai, Michael
AU - Sterling, Madeline
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.
PY - 2022/2
Y1 - 2022/2
N2 - During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, home health aides (HHAs) provided daily medical and personal care to community-dwelling older adults and those with chronic conditions. Prior qualitative studies have found that providing care during COVID-19 left HHAs susceptible to physical, financial, and emotional risks. However, limited quantitative data exist The objective of this study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on HHAs and to understand the challenges and opportunities for current and future pandemic planning. A cross-sectional survey of 256 HHAs in the downstate New York region was conducted by telephone in English, French Creole, Chine, Spanish, and Russian between August and November 2020. The survey found that HHAs experienced a variety of physical, financial, and emotional challenges during COVID-19. To better support this work force, action by public health officials and policymakers is warranted, particularly with respect to workplace protections and safety, mental health, compensation, and access to basic resources.
AB - During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, home health aides (HHAs) provided daily medical and personal care to community-dwelling older adults and those with chronic conditions. Prior qualitative studies have found that providing care during COVID-19 left HHAs susceptible to physical, financial, and emotional risks. However, limited quantitative data exist The objective of this study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on HHAs and to understand the challenges and opportunities for current and future pandemic planning. A cross-sectional survey of 256 HHAs in the downstate New York region was conducted by telephone in English, French Creole, Chine, Spanish, and Russian between August and November 2020. The survey found that HHAs experienced a variety of physical, financial, and emotional challenges during COVID-19. To better support this work force, action by public health officials and policymakers is warranted, particularly with respect to workplace protections and safety, mental health, compensation, and access to basic resources.
KW - COVID-19 pandemic
KW - economic security
KW - home health aides
KW - mental health
KW - workplace health and safety
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85120448560&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85120448560&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/10482911211058839
DO - 10.1177/10482911211058839
M3 - Article
C2 - 34846212
AN - SCOPUS:85120448560
SN - 1048-2911
VL - 31
SP - 460
EP - 468
JO - New Solutions
JF - New Solutions
IS - 4
ER -