🤖 AI Summary
This study presents the first systematic assessment of the prevalence of food and housing insecurity among Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) in New York State and its association with social determinants of health. Drawing on a statewide cross-sectional survey of 2,766 DSPs and employing chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses, the research reveals that 62.6% of respondents experience food and/or housing insecurity, with disproportionately high rates among individuals with disabilities, people of color, and those with low incomes. The findings conceptualize basic living insecurity as a critical occupational hazard and a fundamental threat to the stability of the care system. The study underscores the urgent need for policy interventions to improve DSP compensation and ensure access to basic living necessities, providing empirical evidence to inform efforts aimed at enhancing both working conditions for DSPs and the quality of care they deliver.
📝 Abstract
BACKGROUND
Low earnings are associated with household insecurity. Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) provide support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, typically for wages close to state minimums, and may experience insecurity.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of food and housing insecurity among DSPs.
METHODS
We conducted a statewide, cross-sectional survey of DSPs in New York State (2022-2023). Measures included detailed questions about food and housing insecurity. We used chi-square analyses and logistic regressions to examine relationships between insecurity and demographic characteristics as proxies for social determinants of health. A total of 4503 DSPs responded to the survey. The analytic sample contained 2766 respondents with complete data for all relevant variables.
RESULTS
Overall, 62.6 % experienced food and/or housing insecurity, with over half of those respondents experiencing both. Insecurity was highest among DSPs with a disability (76.2 %), DSPs of color (75.7 %), and those with lower income (72.4 %), but over 50 % of DSPs across demographic groups experienced insecurity.
CONCLUSIONS
The widespread insecurity this study demonstrates is an occupational hazard that reduces worker welfare. At the macro-level, household insecurity is a critical threat to the stability of the care and support delivery system. The human services sector is projected to grow rapidly in the future. If growth continues along low wage lines, it implies an equally rapid expansion of worker insecurity. Government action to raise pay and interventions that enhance food and housing security are needed to support workers in the care delivery system for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.