Health and Safety of Limited English Speaking Asian Homecare Aides in Chicago: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVES: To identify health and safety hazards and needs among limited English speaking Asian home care aides, and characterize their acculturation status and how it affects their health and safety. METHODS: Surveyed 60 home care aides and interviewed six home care service providers to assess health and safety hazards and needs of the study population. RESULTS: The majority of the study participants were older and did not speak English or did not speak English well. They communicated with senior clients in their native language only or most of the time. Many experienced work related injuries and musculoskeletal pain. DISCUSSION: The Asian homecare aides met the critical needs of an aging community. They experienced many challenges working as a home care aide and as a result of cultural barriers.

A quantitative look at fluorosis, fluoride exposure, and intake in children using a health risk assessment approach.

The prevalence of dental fluorosis in the United States has increased during the last 30 years. In this study, we used a mathematical model commonly employed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to estimate average daily intake of fluoride via all applicable exposure pathways contributing to fluorosis risk for infants and children living in hypothetical fluoridated and nonfluoridated communities. We also estimated hazard quotients for each exposure pathway and hazard indices for exposure conditions representative of central tendency exposure (CTE) and reasonable maximum exposure (RME) conditions. The exposure pathways considered were uptake of fluoride via fluoridated drinking water, beverages, cow's milk, foods, and fluoride supplements for both age groups. Additionally, consumption of infant formula for infants and inadvertent swallowing of toothpaste while brushing and incidental ingestion of soil for children were also considered. The cumulative daily fluoride intake in fluoridated areas was estimated as 0.20 and 0.11 mg/kg-day for RME and CTE scenarios, respectively, for infants. On the other hand, the RME and CTE estimates for children were 0.23 and 0.06 mg/kg-day, respectively. In areas where municipal water is not fluoridated, our RME and CTE estimates for cumulative daily average intake were, respectively, 0.11 and 0.08 mg/kg-day for infants and 0.21 and 0.06 mg/kg-day for children. Our theoretical estimates are in good agreement with measurement-based estimates reported in the literature. Although CTE estimates were within the optimum range for dental caries prevention, the RME estimates were above the upper tolerable intake limit. This suggests that some children may be at risk for fluorosis.

Street corner hazard surveillance and health intervention among Chicago day laborers.

Day laborers in Chicago are often hired for hazardous jobs and have little access to basic health care. In this study, the researchers offered tetanus vaccinations and blood lead tests to workers waiting on street corners, who then completed a survey on hazardous job tasks (N = 92). All participants were male, 97% were foreign-born, and 93% had performed demolition and rehabilitation, window removal and installation, or paint removal in the previous month. Most were not current with tetanus immunization. The geometric mean blood lead level was 3.8 mug/dL. Nonparametric statistical analysis showed a significant association (p < .05) between blood lead level and country of origin. The results demonstrate the feasibility of hazard surveillance and health intervention at street corner hiring sites.

Occupational health among Chicago day laborers: an exploratory study.

The authors report on the results of an exploratory investigation of the occupational safety experience among day laborers at one street-corner hiring site in Chicago. The authors' goals were to pilot street-corner surveillance methods, including those that would facilitate access to the workers, and to obtain information on the day laborers' occupational safety experience, including the types of jobs and tasks performed, the hazardous conditions encountered, and the frequency of occupational injuries. The authors held interviews at one street corner in Chicago; 21 day laborers participated. All were male, and 90% were Latino. Construction jobs were common. Roofing and demolition were 2 of the most hazardous jobs. Of the respondents, 52% had been injured in the previous year. This exploratory study was a successful first step in occupational injury research among street-corner day laborers and suggests that these workers are frequently exposed to hazardous working conditions without safety training or equipment.