Univariate models of relative risks (RR) of verbal abuse reported by home care aides in the past 12 months, by work-organisational and client-related characteristics, Safe Home Care Survey, Massachusetts, USA
Number of aides (n=954) | Verbal abuse in past 12 months* | |||
Number reporting verbal abuse | RR | 95% CI | ||
Work-organisational characteristics | ||||
Hire type | ||||
Client | 330 | 59 | 0.76 | 0.58 to 1.00 |
Agency† | 624 | 147 | ||
Predictable hours | ||||
Yes | 614 | 113 | 0.65 | 0.51 to 0.83 |
No† | 318 | 90 | ||
Missing | 22 | 3 | ||
Job is stable | ||||
Yes | 637 | 141 | 0.97 | 0.73 to 1.28 |
No† | 228 | 52 | ||
Missing | 89 | 13 | ||
Did not have the time I needed | ||||
Yes‡ | 100 | 33 | 1.60 | 1.17 to 2.18 |
No† | 828 | 171 | ||
Missing | 26 | 2 | ||
Use any client handling/transfer device | ||||
Yes | 403 | 102 | 1.36 | 1.06 to 1.75 |
No† | 489 | 91 | ||
Missing | 62 | 13 | ||
Safety measures | ||||
Aide is provided with gloves and knows where to report blood exposures | 762 | 170 | 0.79 | 0.53 to 1.16 |
Aide lacks one or both of the above† | 74 | 21 | ||
Missing | 118 | 15 | ||
Did not have a clear care plan | ||||
Yes‡ | 117 | 39 | 1.62 | 1.21 to 2.17 |
No† | 794 | 163 | ||
Missing | 43 | 4 | ||
Client characteristics | ||||
Language discordance | ||||
Yes§ | 184 | 45 | 1.16 | 0.87 to 1.55 |
No† | 766 | 161 | ||
Missing | 4 | 0 | ||
Dementia | ||||
Yes§ | 355 | 106 | 1.65 | 1.29 to 2.10 |
No† | 513 | 93 | ||
Missing | 86 | 7 | ||
Mental illness/psychological issues | ||||
Yes§ | 304 | 91 | 1.58 | 1.24 to 2.01 |
No† | 576 | 109 | ||
Missing | 74 | 6 | ||
Limited mobility | ||||
Yes§ | 709 | 173 | 1.73 | 1.21 to 2.47 |
No† | 213 | 30 | ||
Missing | 32 | 3 | ||
Client smokes indoors | ||||
Yes§ | 238 | 63 | 1.29 | 1.00 to 1.67 |
No† | 688 | 141 | ||
Missing | 28 | 2 | ||
Too little space made it hard to work | ||||
Yes§ | 219 | 76 | 1.92 | 1.51 to 2.44 |
No† | 708 | 128 | ||
Missing | 27 | 2 |
*Defined as at least one incident of verbal abuse in the past year.
†Referent.
‡Aides who reported this working condition during at least one recent client visit within the past month.
§Aides who reported at least one recent visit to a client with this characteristic within the past month.