Staffing of Qualified Social Workers and Nursing Home Quality of Care

What is the association between employment of qualified social workers and nursing home quality of care?In this cohort study using a synthetic difference-in-differences approach with staggered adoption, staffing of qualified social workers was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the use of restraints, with strong associations in facilities with a higher prevalence of Alzheimer disease and related dementias.This study suggests that staffing of qualified social workers is associated with improved quality of care in nursing homes, particularly in facilities serving residents with cognitive impairment.

Corresponding Author: Yutong Chen, PhD, Department of Economics, University of Texas at Arlington, 701 S Nedderman Dr, Arlington, TX 76019 (yutong.chen@uta.edu).

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