A study into the employment trends of individuals treated at a spinal cord injury centre

Abstract

This study was undertaken to identify the employment status of individuals before and after spinal cord injury (SCI), the factors influencing return to work and the reasons why return to previous employment status were difficult, delayed or not achieved. The study identified when individuals were ready to address return to employment issues as well as the resources that may be required to support return to work. Postal questionnaires were sent to 242 individuals, aged 16 years and above, who were admitted to the Stanmore spinal cord injury centre (SCIC) with acute, traumatic SCI between 1998 and 2003. Forty-two percent of respondents returned to paid employment however, only 26% actually remained in employment. Reasons for non-return to or cessation of employment were primarily related to respondents' health, access to transport and training. Twenty-five percent of respondents described themselves as long-term sick, particularly those with cervical injuries. Physical intensity of work activities altered after injury. For those returning to paid employment, family and employer support was reported to be most commonly available and beneficial . Those respondents who had more structured support schemes had found them beneficial. Approximately half of respondents stated they were ready to address return to work during their admission. Findings suggest that vocational advice and education should be available following a SCI, particularly for those with a cervical injury or those working in heavy or strenuous jobs before injury.

Integrated services and early intervention in the vocational rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injuries

“…Qualitative research reveals varying levels of motivation, with some participants unwilling to approach topic of returning to work during a time of tremendous physical, psychological and interpersonal upheaval. 16,33 This is congruent with the predominant thinking surrounding returning to work post SCI and has important implications for any model attempting to incorporate an early intervention approach, which must consider appropriate timing and assertiveness of intervention. Current early intervention approaches incorporate motivational interviewing in order to assess and work within the client's motivational state and potentially overcome this barrier.…”

“…[11][12][13] Time to return to work following a SCI is lengthy; people often lose their jobs post SCI onset because they are away from work for significant periods of time while undertaking medical and physical rehabilitation and are often advised that they need time to adjust to their injury before considering returning to work. [14][15][16] It can take years for a person to obtain new employment following a SCI, with the interval between onset of SCI and paid employment being~4 or 5 years. 6,17,18 The benefits of work Although it is accepted that working is generally beneficial for most people, evidence suggests that it is uniquely beneficial for people with SCI.…”

“…16 Similarly, a Swedish study of young adults aged 20-34 who had sustained a SCI indicated that this population perceived themselves as ready to and capable of work, but required guidance in making vocational decisions and support in sourcing appropriate work experience or training. 7 Those who do return to work early tend to return to their previous employer, 16 and supportive employers have been recognised as promoting employment in this population. 24 Early vocational intervention could preserve this relationship and maximise employer support through liaison with the employer and use of appropriate workplace supports.…”

Factors associated with labor force participation after spinal cord injury

“…For instance, Krause and Broderick [19] found that 44% of their participants had worked since SCI onset, but only 27% were working at the time of the survey. Similarly, Hills and Cullen [11] found that, although 42% had been employed after SCI, only 26% remained employed due to issues with health, transportation, and training. These findings are important because the factors associated with entering the labor force after SCI onset may be different than those associated with maintaining labor force participation.…”

Back2Work: a new model of early vocational rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury

“…[1][2][3][4] As well as the obvious and direct consequences of the injury there are enormous indirect consequences, including loss of productivity and employability. 5,6 In particular, SCI has been shown to have substantial negative impacts on vocational pathways of those who sustain such injuries, [7][8][9][10] including dramatic reduction in the rate of employment, significant delays in returning to work, increased likelihood of underemployment, reduced job retention and lowered job satisfaction. [11][12][13] Return to paid employment is, however, often considered one of the most meaningful measures of rehabilitation success 14,15 and strong associations have been reported between vocational outcomes and health and quality of life.…”