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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Staffing Levels in Philadelphia Nursing Homes: Disparities Based on the Racial Composition of Geographical Areas.
- Source :
- Policy, Politics & Nursing Practice; Aug2024, Vol. 25 Issue 3, p152-161, 10p
- Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Research to assess and inform health policy is an essential component of the policymaking process to advance equity in public health practice. This study investigated health disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022) in older adult institutional settings in Philadelphia, PA, to inform policy initiatives, interventions, and infrastructure development. We first explored the changing patterns of nursing staffing levels (total direct care staff and registered nurses [RNs]) measured by hours per resident per day (HPRD) before and after COVID-19. Our findings revealed that HPRD levels consistently fell below the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recommended standards from 2018 to 2022, with notable declines observed starting from 2021. Results from multilevel modeling showed significant declines in HPRD for total direct care nursing staff in nursing homes located in zip codes with a high proportion of Black residents (≥40%). In contrast, HPRD for RNs significantly declined in nursing homes located in zip codes with a lower proportion of Black residents (<40%). Moreover, higher reported direct care HPRD and RN HPRD were associated with any reported COVID-19 cases only within zip codes with a low proportion of Black residents. These findings indicate the need for additional policies to address these observed patterns in staffing levels. Our study provides a foundation for future policy reviews utilizing a conceptual framework that is health equity-centric for local and state health departments program and units intended for institutional care settings for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- POLICY sciences
AFRICAN Americans
PATIENT safety
MEDICAL quality control
RESEARCH funding
INSTITUTIONAL care
HOSPITAL nursing staff
HEALTH policy
POPULATION geography
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
NURSING care facilities
WORKING hours
CONCEPTUAL structures
HEALTH equity
SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC factors
COMPARATIVE studies
COVID-19 pandemic
OLD age
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 15271544
- Volume :
- 25
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Policy, Politics & Nursing Practice
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 179362258
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1177/15271544241270061