Conclusion: Both HHCWs and home care patients appear to be at potential risk due to a variety of health hazards/exposures in the clients’ homes. Additionally, 12 percent of HHCWs reported signs of abuse of their clients. Two percent of respondents reported the presence of guns in the home. The following conditions were also described: clutter (17 percent), temperature extremes (9 percent), unsanitary (12 percent) and unsafe (6 percent) conditions in the home, neighborhood violence/crime (11 percent), and aggressive pets (6 percent). HHCWs reported the following exposures at their clients’ homes: cockroaches (33 percent), cigarette smoke (30 percent), vermin (23 percent), irritating chemicals (17 percent), and peeling paint (15 percent). The majority of clients were elderly, with a smaller percentage of adult (26 percent) and pediatric (7 percent) cases. Preliminary Results: Ninety-five percent of home health care workers (HHCWs) were female with an average of 8 years experience. All activities had prior Institutional Review Board approval. Items addressed personal, patient, and home characteristics and health hazards. Methods: A convenience sample of 1,561 home health aides, attendants, and personal care workers completed a risk assessment survey.
![oxygen not included bleach stone oxygen not included bleach stone](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sG_kgI-zZQU/mqdefault.jpg)
With the increasing acuteness of care provided in home health care and the increasing number of frail elderly that make up this patient population, it is important to identify risk factors that affect patient health and safety in this setting. Introduction: Home health care is the fastest growing sector in the health care industry, with an anticipated growth of 66 percent over the next 10 years and with over 7 million patients served each year.