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Racial disparities in job strain among American and immigrant long-term care workers
D A Hurtado1, E L Sabbath, K A Ertel
1Department of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. dhurtado@hsph.harvard.edu
International Nursing Review
|May 18, 2012
Summary
Black immigrant nursing home workers experience significantly higher job strain and lower control than White workers. This disparity, particularly pronounced among Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), highlights potential racial/ethnic discrimination in occupational stress.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Sociology of Work
- Health Disparities
Background:
- Nursing homes employ a growing minority and immigrant workforce.
- This demographic faces intersecting psychosocial stressors.
- Understanding occupational stress in this setting is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate racial/ethnic disparities in job strain.
- Compared Black and White direct-care workers in nursing homes.
- Examined differences between immigrant and American workers.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study conducted in four Massachusetts nursing homes (2006-2007).
- Compared Black (n=127) and White (n=110) workers.
- Stratified analyses by occupation: higher-skilled (n=82) and Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs, n=155).
Main Results:
- Black workers, predominantly immigrants (96%), reported higher job strain (RR: 2.9) and low control (RR: 2.1) than White workers.
- Black CNAs showed significantly higher job strain (RR: 3.1) compared to White CNAs.
- Black workers earned less per hour and worked more hours weekly.
Conclusions:
- Black immigrant nursing home staff experience disproportionately higher job strain.
- Disparities were more pronounced among CNAs, suggesting occupational or systemic factors.
- Findings indicate a need to explore racial/ethnic discrimination's role in occupational stress patterns.
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