When work and satisfaction with life do not go hand in hand: Health barriers and personal resources in the participation of people with chronic physical disabilities

Abstract

People with chronic physical disabilities participate less in both paid and voluntary work and are less satisfied with their lives than people without health problems. Governments and scientists have suggested that participation in employment is the main road to well-being. We analysed national survey data on the participation in work and satisfaction with life, comparing people with a chronic illness and a physical disability (n=603) to people with a chronic illness but without a physical disability (n=1199) and the general population (n=6128) in the Netherlands. The results show that the relationship between happiness and work is different for people with a chronic illness and a physical disability, as compared to the other two populations. Fewer people with a chronic illness and disability were categorized as 'satisfied people with work' (i.e. participating in work and satisfied with their life), while most people belonged to a group of 'satisfied people without work' and, surprisingly, not to the expected group of 'dissatisfied people without work'. In order to explain this exceptional distribution we modelled satisfied participation in work as an outcome of a balance between personal resources and barriers. By means of discriminant regression analysis, we identified the severity of motor disability as the main barrier, and education level and age, as the main resource factors that distinguish between 'satisfied people with work' and others among the group of people with a chronic illness and a physical disability.

A new intervention to improve work participation of young adults with physical disabilities: a feasibility study

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Working and caring for a child with chronic illness: A review of current literature

“…An often neglected and under‐researched challenge for this group is when parents work as well as care for their ill child. Although participating in the workforce offers numerous benefits, including social relationships, development of skills and daily routine (Schur, ; van Campen & Cardol, ), and income (George, Vickers, Wilkes, & Barton, ), it requires time and a need to take on multiple roles (Giordano, ). Understanding parents' well‐being is important because it provides greater insight into the daily challenges that they face, challenges that can affect a parent's health and well‐being whilst also having the potential to influence the quality of care they provide to their child (Tibboel, Brouwer, Exel, v., & Poley, ; Wright, ) and their performance at work (Schaufeli & Taris, ).…”

An ecological approach to understanding barriers to employment for youth with disabilities compared to their typically developing peers: views of youth, employers, and job counselors

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