Self-Reported Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Visiting and Office Home Care Workers

This paper examines the associations between self-reported musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and work factors and injuries among home care workers. Based on 99 focus group participants and 892 survey respondents, results show a high level of MSDs among both visiting and office home care workers. While visiting home care workers tend to feel pain in the back, office workers tend to report pain in the neck and shoulder. Hazards in clients' homes, injuries moving clients and stress are associated with self-reported MSDs for visiting home care workers. Repetitive tasks and stress are associated with self-reported MSDs for office home care workers. Age and months in the profession have no affect on self-reported MSDs.