We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
African Immigrants in Low-Wage Direct Health Care: Motivations, Job Satisfaction, and Occupational Mobility.
- Authors
Covington-Ward, Yolanda
- Abstract
This study explores motivations, job satisfaction, and overall perceived occupational mobility for African immigrants working in low-wage direct health care occupations. The study uses qualitative semi-structured interviews with a sample of thirty African immigrant workers in the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Results show that four major themes captured the motivations of interviewees for doing direct care work: passion for care work, quick money, easily obtained employment, and direct care work as a pathway to other health occupations. The majority of the interviewees were satisfied with their jobs, yet almost all of them saw their occupations as temporary or transitional employment. Most of the interviewees also saw their jobs as lacking occupational mobility. In light of the increased national demand for direct care workers, the growing numbers of immigrants in the direct care labor force, and the high turnover and low retention rates of direct care workers overall, the study suggests that more must be done to make direct care work attractive and rewarding for African immigrant workers.
- Subjects
AFRICA; PENNSYLVANIA; EMPLOYMENT; GROUNDED theory; IMMIGRANTS; INTERVIEWING; JOB satisfaction; LABOR mobility; LABOR turnover; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL personnel; MOTIVATION (Psychology); RESEARCH funding; STATISTICAL sampling; VOCATIONAL guidance; WAGES; EMPLOYEE retention; QUALITATIVE research; DATA analysis software; DESCRIPTIVE statistics
- Publication
Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health, 2017, Vol 19, Issue 3, p709
- ISSN
1557-1912
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10903-016-0400-8