An Examination of Full-Time Employment in the Direct-Care Workforce

The article provides a sociodemographic and socioeconomic portrait of individuals in the direct-care workforce. Multinomial logistic regression is used to compare socioeconomic and sociodemographic predictors of part-time and full-time employment in the direct-care occupation and other occupations using data from the 2003 and 2004 Annual Social and Economic Surveys. The results indicate that race, limited education, and having children younger than age 6 are significant predictors of full-time employment in direct care. Full-time and part-time direct-care employees are significantly less likely to have job-related health insurance than those in other occupations. Despite the recognized needs of older Americans and the decreasing number of women available to provide such care, development of this workforce is not a policy priority. State and federal policies should provide the direct-care workforce with wages and benefits sufficient to support their families and enable them to remain in the workforce providing consistent and competent elderly care.