Health and working conditions of home health care providers of disable persons in Costa Rica. Pilot study

Home health care providers are usually non-visualized as a working group in Latin American societies, due a number of factors, including its integration to domestic and family activities, and being performed by family members or close family friends of the person who needs the assistance, whose are mostly women.   Health and working conditions of this group is unknown and difficult to assess, since they are often not reported to social security systems or other national or local registries.  However, they compromise a vulnerable working group, whose social and insurance conditions are unknown, with a high risk of developing occupational diseases.  This working group probable will not get working compensation (indemnization or retiring rights).   The aim of this study is to test the feasibility of locating and interviewing home care providers in order to propose a national study intended to assess their occupational and health care conditions.   The study has a cuoted sample of 60 health care providers, which will be located through the data banks of disable adults from the National Institute of Rehabilitation and Special Education of Costa Rica (CNREE).   Each cuot is filled with 20 subjects, in each of the following categories: 1-mental/behavioral ; 2-neuromuscle-esqueleton; multiple disability.  Will be performed in Palmares, Alajuela, since its considered a county with demographic, social and economic characteristics similar to the Costa Rica entire population.   A questionnaire has been designed and proved, which includes four modules: general data of informant, information of the person whose care is provided, working conditions and health perception.   The field work will start in August 2011 and results will be presented at the Conference.