From margins to mainstream: What do we know about work integration for persons with brain injury, mental illness and intellectual disability?

Geographic variation in participation for physically disabled adults: The contribution of area economic factors to employment after spinal cord injury

“…Employment is a key aspect of social participation and a well-documented social determinant of health for persons with disabilities (Kirsh et al, 2009). Despite decades of public policy and research focused on understanding and eliminating the barriers to employment, persons with disabilities remain underrepresented in the American workforce (Anderson et al, 2007; Moon & Shin, 2006).…”

“…Research has documented that apart from mobility, economic self-sufficiency and occupational functioning are the most disrupted dimensions of independence for adults with SCI (Kirsh et al, 2009), which consequently has negative socioeconomic implications for individuals, their families, and society (Lidal et al, 2007). The downward social mobility elicited by discontinued or interrupted employment following a chronic condition can place individuals at increased risk for further health problems.…”

“…Unemployment after SCI increases the risk for health complications (Yasuda et al, 2002) and complicates the recovery of identity and autonomy (Ville, 2005). Conversely, paid employment and other types of participation have been linked to higher life expectancy (Krause et al, 2004), functional outcomes (Kirsh et al, 2009), and quality of life (Chapin & Holbert, 2010; Yasuda et al, 2002). In short, empirical research has suggested that returning to work significantly benefits the health and well-being of this population.…”

Stereotype content of people with acquired brain injury: Warm but incompetent

“…Regarding work, McLellan et al (2010) found that a patient with ABI was seen as less employable than an orthopedic patient. And research on return to work following ABI has shown that negative attitudes from employers can hamper attempts at vocational rehabilitation (Kirsh et al, 2009;Sabatello, 2014). This is crucial as returning to work is an important component of general rehabilitation and can impact a patient's degree of life satisfaction (Treger, Shames, Giaquinto, & Ring, 2007).…”

There is so much more to do: Strategies and research needs to support work transitions for persons with chronic mental health conditions

“…To highlight the key contributions the articles make to strategies supporting work transitions, we drew upon Kirsh and colleagues' [1] six principles to guide best practices, promote social change, and advance research on work transitions into mainstream employment for persons with disabilities. These principles suggest that best practices and research must focus on resources and supports across individual, workplace and societal levels.…”