Affiliations: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA | Survey and Evaluation Research Laboratory, Virginia
Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA | Department of African American Studies, Virginia
Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Michelle A. Meade, Ph.D., Department
of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, PO
Box 980677, Richmond, VA 23298-0677, USA. Tel.: +1 804 828 5401; Fax: +1 804
828 6340; E-mail: mameade@vcu.edu
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to describe the relationship between
work intensity, personal and injury-related factors and the resources typically
associated with employment, including insurance, access to health care, and
salary. Retrospective analysis is performed on cross-sectional data from 436
individuals between the ages of 18 and 64 years old that participated in the
quantitative component of a larger project examining the needs of Virginians
with SCI. No significant differences are found with regard to gender or
pre-injury employment status between individuals with SCI who are not working,
those employed part time (<30 hours per week), and those employed full-time
>30 hours per week). Significant differences are noted between groups with
regard to race, marital status, total number of medical problems, receipt of
vocational services, and severity of injury. In addition, individuals who are
employed either part-time or full-time are more likely to have health insurance
(p=0.034) than those not working for pay. Individuals working full-time are
significantly more likely to have dental insurance (p<0.001), less likely to
have been unable to get needed medical care (p=0.025), and less likely to have
problems with either uncontrolled spasticity (p<0.001) or chronic pain
(p<0.001) in the past 12 months as compared with the other two groups.
Results support the value of employment in providing access to health care and
a range of other benefits for persons with a SCI. Part-time employment provided
significant advantages over unemployment status however individuals who spent
at least 30 hours a week in paid employment had the highest levels of
resources. Our findings also suggest, though, that secondary conditions may
influence the level/intensity of employment for individuals with SCI and that
working part-time still provides advantages over unemployment.
Keywords: Work intensity, spinal cord injury, employment
