COVID-19 Infections, Pandemic-Related Social and Economic Impacts, and Changes to Mental and Self-Rated Health Among Latinx Immigrant Housecleaners in New York City: The Safe and Just Cleaners Study.

Objectives. To estimate impacts of COVID-19 infections and social and economic sequelae on mental and self-rated health among Latinx immigrant housecleaners in New York City. Methods. From March to June 2021, we conducted a follow-up study with 74% retention of 402 housecleaners initially surveyed before the pandemic between August 2019 and February 2020. We measured rates of self-reported COVID-19 infections, COVID-19 antibodies, and pandemic-related social and economic sequelae and examined predictors of mental and self-rated health changes using logistic regression models. Results. Fifty-three percent reported COVID-19 infections, consistent with the rate demonstrating COVID-19 antibodies. During shutdown of nonessential services, from March 22 to June 8, 2020, 29% worked as housecleaners, although this was not associated with higher COVID-19 infection rates. COVID-19-related stigma at work, lost earnings owing to COVID-19 infections, housing insecurity, food insecurity, and unsafe homes, including experiencing intimate partner verbal abuse, were statistically associated with changes in mental or self-rated health compared with prepandemic measures. Conclusions. The disproportionate impact and virtually nonexistent safety net housecleaners experienced during the first year of the pandemic highlight the importance of inclusive stopgap measures to mitigate economic insecurity and its sequelae. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(8):893-903. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307324).

Employment Quality and Mental and Self-Reported Health Inequities among Latinx Housecleaners: The Safe and Just Cleaners Study.

Precarious employment, such as housecleaning, is one important structural contributor to health inequities. We used an employment quality (EQ) framework to characterize the impact of employment conditions on mental and self-reported ill-health among Latinx housecleaners in the New York City metropolitan area. Using a community-based participatory research approach, we collected cross-sectional survey data from 402 housecleaners between August 2019 and February 2020 to characterize housecleaners' EQ and its association with depression, perceived stress, and self-reported health. We also measured work-related irritant eye, skin, and respiratory symptoms, which have been shown in previous research to be associated with housecleaners' exposure to chemical components of cleaning products. Our housecleaner cohort was largely female and immigrant and most had worked at least five years. Survey items capturing the EQ dimensions of unbalanced interpersonal relations, low material resources, and violations of workers' rights were associated with increased odds of depression, perceived stress, and self-reported ill-health. Work-related irritant eye, skin, and respiratory symptoms were also independently associated with mental and self-reported ill-health and some of the effects of EQ on health were potentially partially mediated through their association with work-related irritant symptoms. Findings can inform directions for community-based educational and policy initiatives to improve housecleaners' employment quality.