Affiliations: [a]
Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| [b]
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Stanford University Hospital and Clinics, Redwood City, CA, USA
| [c]
Department of Psychological and Vocational Rehabilitation, St. Petersburg Scientific and Practical Center of Medical and Social Expertise, Prosthetics, and Rehabilitation of Disabled N.A. G.A. Albrecht, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Mikhail Saltychev, Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, PO Box 52, FI-20521, Turku, Finland. Tel.: +358 50 438 1761; Fax: +358 2 313 3730; E-mail: mikhail.saltychev@gmail.com.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:One of the reasons for the high unemployment amongst people with disability is a lack of knowledge on factors determining their employment. Factors associated with willingness and attitudes towards work have not been studied sufficiently amongst the general population of people with impaired functioning. Recognizing and improving attitudes to work and vocational rehabilitation may increase the employment rate of persons with disabilities. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the influence of some demographic factors on a willingness to work and an interest in vocational rehabilitation amongst unemployed persons with confirmed disability. METHODS:Cross-sectional survey-based study amongst unemployed persons with disabilities in a large urban area. The sample consisted of 1 547 respondents with mostly mild or moderate disabilities. The multinomial logistic regression was used to obtain relative risk ratios (RRs) for different demographic characteristics of the sample. RESULTS:An interest in vocational rehabilitation was significantly associated with older age (RR 1.36, 95% CI 1.2 to 1.5), lower disability grade (RR 1.30, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.60), and lower expectation of a desired salary (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.88). Older age (RR 1.31, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.51) and more severe disability (reversed figure – RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.93) were associated with a delayed willingness to work. CONCLUSIONS:Amongst unemployed persons with severe or moderate disabilities, a better willingness to work was mostly associated with younger age and milder disability severity. Older persons with less disabilities and realistic expectations of salary rate reported an interest in vocational rehabilitation more often.
Keywords: Disability, vocational rehabilitation, return to work, willingness to work, occupational status
