TY - JOUR
T1 - Protecting home health care workers
T2 - A challenge to pandemic influenza preparedness planning
AU - Baron, Sherry
AU - McPhaul, Kathleen
AU - Phillips, Sally
AU - Gershon, Robyn
AU - Lipscomb, Jane
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - The home health care sector is a critical element in a pandemic influenza emergency response. Roughly 85% of the 1.5 million workers delivering in-home care to 7.6 million clients are low-wage paraprofessionals, mostly women, and disproportionately members of racial and ethnic minorities. Home health care workers' ability and willingness to respond during a pandemic depends on appropriate communication, training, and adequate protections, including influenza vaccination and respiratory protection. Preparedness planning should also include support for child care and transportation and help home health care workers protect their income and access to health care. We summarize findings from a national stakeholder meeting, which highlighted the need to integrate home health care employers, workers, community advocates, and labor unions into the planning process.
AB - The home health care sector is a critical element in a pandemic influenza emergency response. Roughly 85% of the 1.5 million workers delivering in-home care to 7.6 million clients are low-wage paraprofessionals, mostly women, and disproportionately members of racial and ethnic minorities. Home health care workers' ability and willingness to respond during a pandemic depends on appropriate communication, training, and adequate protections, including influenza vaccination and respiratory protection. Preparedness planning should also include support for child care and transportation and help home health care workers protect their income and access to health care. We summarize findings from a national stakeholder meeting, which highlighted the need to integrate home health care employers, workers, community advocates, and labor unions into the planning process.
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U2 - 10.2105/AJPH.2008.157339
DO - 10.2105/AJPH.2008.157339
M3 - Review article
C2 - 19461108
AN - SCOPUS:70350044210
SN - 0090-0036
VL - 99
SP - S301-S307
JO - American journal of public health
JF - American journal of public health
IS - SUPPL. 2
ER -