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Job satisfaction and quality of life among home care workers: a comparison of home care workers who are and who are not informal carers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 December 2010

Yueh-Ching Chou ,
Li-yeh Fu ,
Teppo Kröger  and
Chiu Ru-yan
Yueh-Ching Chou
Affiliation:
Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, Research Center for Health and Welfare Policy, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
Li-yeh Fu*
Affiliation:
Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, Research Center for Health and Welfare Policy, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
Teppo Kröger
Affiliation:
Academy Research Fellow, Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Chiu Ru-yan
Affiliation:
Department of Labor Affairs and Social Resources, Miaoli County Government, Taiwan
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Li-yeh Fu, Associate Professor, Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, Research Center for Health and Welfare Policy, National Yang-Ming University, 155, Li-Nong St., Sec.2, Peitou, Taipei, 112Taiwan. Phone: + 886-2-22390743; Fax: 886-2-22390715. Email: liyeh.fu@msa.hinet.net.
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Abstract

Background: Job satisfaction and quality of life among home care workers who serve simultaneously as informal carers for their own family members have seldom been explored. This study examined how this dual role influences job satisfaction and quality of life by comparing these dual carers with home care workers who do not provide informal care. The study also explored whether the factors related to job satisfaction and quality of life between these two groups were different.

Method: Standardized self-administered questionnaires (Job Satisfaction Survey, the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) scales and various social demographic questions) were administered to the two groups of home care workers in Taiwan from March to April 2009. A total of 1,641 home care workers working in 119 non-government organizations sponsored by 23 local authorities completed and returned the questionnaires.

Results: The two groups did not differ in individual characteristics, work characteristics or job satisfaction. Analysis results indicate that the lowest mean scores for all home care workers were the domains of promotion and pay within their job satisfaction and the domain of environment within their quality of life.

Conclusions: Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant effect of unpaid caregiving in terms of quality of life but not in terms of job satisfaction. Moreover, job satisfaction and quality of life among home care workers were significantly determined by both their work conditions (e.g. travelling time, salary and length of work experience) and personal variables (e.g. age, family income and family support).

Keywords

Home careinformal carerjob satisfactoryquality of life
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 23 , Issue 5 , June 2011 , pp. 814 - 825
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2010

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