Psychosocial factors contributing to occupational injuries among direct care workers.

Full Abstract

Direct care workers have the highest injury rate in the United States, primarily due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders. This study examined the effect of psychosocial factors (i.e., stress, job satisfaction, organizational climate, safety climate, and training) on direct care workers' injuries. On the basis of divergent work characteristics of direct care workers in facilities versus private homes, injury rates were found to be significantly different between workplaces (x(2) = 4.179, df = 1, p = .041). Tenure (77% of injuries occurred after 1 year of tenure) was significantly correlated with training, satisfaction, organizational climate, and stress. Because of the chronic nature of musculoskeletal disorders, tenure was used to choose cases for injury prediction using logistic regression. When tenure was greater than 1 year, job satisfaction [Exp(B) = 0.048, p = .028] was a predictor of injury and when tenure was greater than 3 years, both job satisfaction [Exp(B) = 0.002, p = .033] and training [Exp(B) = 31.821, p = .044] were predictors of injury. Psychosocial factors and home- versus facility-based workplaces should be considered to improve injury rates and retention among direct care workers.

Author information

Author/s: Zontek, Tracy L (TL); Isernhagen, Jody C (JC); Ogle, Burton R (BR);

Affiliation: Environmental Health Program, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: AAOHN journal : official journal of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN J), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Aug; vol 57 (issue 8) : pp 338-47

Dates: Created 2009/09/17; Completed 2009/11/05;

PMID: 19650606, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 11/5/2009)

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