Training reduces pain among home health care workers: study

Training can ease some of the pain experienced by home health care aides, suggests new research from Pennsylvania State University in University Park. In addition to helping patients with daily activities such as bathing and eating, health aides may be required to lift patients.

An analysis of data from the 2007 National Home Health Aide Survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, showed a drop in injury rates when aides received training, according to a university press release.

Researchers noted that employees who felt their training had not prepared them were 3 times more likely to be injured than those who felt their training was adequate, the release said. Also, employees who felt they lacked supervisor support had a higher risk for injuries than aides with supportive supervisors. Non-injured employees had higher rates of job satisfaction and less turnover.

The research was presented this month at the 2010 Academy of Management Annual Meeting in Montreal.