Facilitators and barriers to employment for people with adult-onset physical disabilities: results from a U.S.A. survey

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Dinelli, Emily J.^{a; b; 1; *} | Crown, Deborah^{b; 2} | Kudla, Angelika^{b; 3} | Capraro, Pamela^{b; 4} | Sheth, Manasi^{b; 5} | Trierweiler, Robert^{b; 6} | Munsell, Elizabeth^{c; 7} | Heinemann, Allen W.^{a; b; 8}

Affiliations: [a] Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States | [b] Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, United States | [c] Pearson, San Antonio, TX, United States

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Emily J. Dinelli, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States. E-mail: emilyjdinelli@gmail.com.

Note: [1] ORCID: 0000-0003-2959-9259.

Note: [2] ORCID: 0000-0002-9816-7057.

Note: [3] ORCID: 0009-0000-2849-0011.

Note: [4] ORCID: 0000-0003-2954-1655.

Note: [5] ORCID: 0000-0002-5183-4131.

Note: [6] ORCID: 0000-0002-4693-2458.

Note: [7] ORCID: 0000-0003-2699-5328.

Note: [8] ORCID: 0000-0003-2782-7326.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Employment has long been an area of concern for people with disabilities. National samples in the United States are needed to understand the experiences of people with disabilities related to employment. OBJECTIVES:(1) Describe and evaluate associations between personal and health-related factors with employment after disability, and (2) describe and evaluate associations between facilitators, barriers, and work-related external factors with maintaining a longest held job after disability. METHODS:We recruited a national sample of people with physical disabilities from panels assembled by a United States market research organization; by selection, 1309 were working and 491 were not. We evaluated the likelihood of employment and maintaining employment after disability onset using Poisson regression. Model 1 evaluated factors associated with employment; Model 2 evaluated factors associated with maintained employment. RESULTS:Model 1: Older age, decreased ability to pay bills on time, and assistive device use were associated with decreased likelihood of employment after disability onset. Non-Black minority identification, fatigue, and higher physical function were associated with increased likelihood of employment. For Model 2, the likelihood of maintaining a longest held job was associated with acquiring a disability at work, receipt of job accommodations, valuing opportunities for advancement and health benefits, having a helpful living situation, and helpful human resource attitudes. Decreased likelihood of maintaining a longest held job after disability onset was associated with job dissatisfaction and supervisors’ attitudes. CONCLUSIONS:This work highlights opportunities for employers to focus efforts on job accommodations and support in the maintenance of employment after disability.

Keywords: Vocational rehabilitation, job security, social inequity, disabled persons, return to work, employment

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-240087

Journal: Work, vol. 79, no. 3, pp. 1433-1450, 2024