Employment outcomes for individuals with spinal cord injuries

Spinal Cord

Job Placement Issues: Impact on the Population With Spinal Cord Injuries

Job Placement Issues: Impact on Population With Spinal Cord Injuries

The purpose of this research is to examine job placement issues with specific emphasis on the population of people with spinal cord injuries. There are many job placement issues that individuals both with and without spinal cord injuries face. Among them include finding meaningful and long-term employment that match ones individual's skills, talents, experience and ability. Job placement is a critical issue however for many people with spinal cord injuries, as maintaining some form of meaningful employment has been shown to improve the overall quality of life and reported life satisfaction among persons with spinal cord injuries.

Individuals with spinal cord injuries face lifelong challenges with regard to lifestyle and employment. Studies suggest that several factors may impact an individual's probability of acquiring meaningful employment after their injury. Job placement analysis and strategy is complex in a traditional setting. When addressing a population as unique and diversified as that of the disabled, the challenge becomes even more complex and complicated, presenting a unique area of study for rehabilitation specialists.

The majority of the information reviewed suggests that individuals with spinal cord injuries need rehabilitative support in order to have successful job placement experiences. Most individuals with SCI's thrive if they are able to acquire meaningful work after injury that is in the same field or in a similar field to that which they worked in prior to their injury.

Other factors that might contribute to job placement success for individuals with spinal cord injuries include length of employment prior to injury, age, ethnicity and education. Each of these factors is described in more detailed and examined at great length below.

CHARACTERISTICS of the POPULATION.

There are several factors that individuals with spinal cord injuries have in common. Most phase physical and mental challenges, and need continual short- and long-term support in order to maintain a strong quality of life and gain meaningful employment.

According to Groah, Stiens, Gittler, Kirshblum & McKinley (2002) individuals that suffer from long-term spinal cord injury face a variety of challenges both physically and mentally that require medical management. Spinal cord injury victims face chronic disease, including an increased for cardiovascular disease which might be attributed to the lack of mobility experienced among this population (Groah, et. al, 2002).

Social isolation, depression and substance abuse are also common factors among individuals suffering from spinal cord injuries, thus it is important that individuals with this injury have adequate support systems in place (Groah, et. al, 2002). Identification and surveillance of emotional symptoms early on is important to help maintain the health and well being of patients.

Patients suffering from a long-term debilitating injury such as a spinal cord injury also require that partners, medical providers and even employers understand the emotional tool a physical disability has on a person, and research suggests that such understanding can help guide rehabilitation professionals in interventions geared toward improving their quality of life and well being (Dudgeon, Gerrard, Jensen, Rhodes & Tyler, 2002). Among the needs of the spinal cord injured population include reassurance and planning for unexpected injuries and illnesses that might result from their primary disability (Dudgeon, et. al, 2002).

Compared with the population at large, individuals with SCI's have a higher rate of unemployment, particularly among adults with pediatric onset SCI (Anderson & Vogel, 2002). For individuals injured during childhood, the average age at injury examined for job placement studies is approximately 14 years of age (Anderson & Vogel, 2002).

In the United States, increasing percentages of individuals with SCI particularly those associated with automobile, motorcycle, bicycle, blunt object attacks, skiing and medical or surgical mishaps have been realized in recent years (Jackson, Dijkers, Devivo & Poczatek, 2004). The male to female ratio of spinal cord injuries over the last decade has remained relatively stable at 4:1, thought the percentage of actual women with injuries has risen somewhat over time (Jackson, et. al, 2004). The majority of spinal cord injuries are tetraplegia and complete injuries, followed by paraplegia or incomplete injuries (Jackson, et. al, 2004). The more severe the injury, the more likely the individual is to have difficulty with job placement and employment in the post injury time period.

RECOMMENDATIONS and APPLICATIONS to the FIELD of REHABILITATION

Krause (2003) notes that counselors and rehabilitation specialists should work with individuals to help them understand a timeline of return to work, as well as to help them identify realistic work and educational goals that fit with their interests and abilities after their injury.

Further research conducted by Krause, Sternberg, Maides & Lottes (1998) confirms that rehabilitation professionals need to "find creative means to identify and neutralize barriers to employment" for individuals suffering from a spinal cord injury, particularly women and minority group victims. In addition the role of the rehabilitation or employment specialist should include helping people with SCI's to find meaningful vocations when they are injured, particularly if they are not able to return to their pre-injury position or one similar to it.

Most of the individuals that are readily able to find employment post injury are younger and Caucasian, and had completed in general more years of education (Krause, et. al, 1998). All of these factors must be considered when evaluating job placement strategies.

In addition rehabilitation and counseling professionals should make special efforts to "maximize employability after SCI among people with biographic characteristics that place them at the greatest risk for unemployment" (Krause & Anson, 1996). This includes men, individuals over the age of 50 and those with educations that equal less than twelve years.

One cannot argue that individuals suffering from a spinal cord injury require unique and specialized assistance in order to find meaningful employment after injury. The majority of evidence available suggests that special attention need be paid to the minority population in order to help women and minorities find employment after their industry. Rehabilitation and employment specialists should also work on providing educational and job training opportunities for people with spinal cord injuries.

Further it is vital that employers and rehabilitative specialists work to maintain an ongoing relationship with individuals after they are placed. Ongoing support will be needed to ensure an individuals changing needs are met in the workplace, specifically if the individual with a spinal cord injury is subject to chronic or further debilitating illnesses that are secondary to their injury.

Job placement strategies for this population should focus on returning spinal cord injury victims to the workforce in a field that is similar to one they were working in prior to their injury, or in a field that they are interested in pursuing. Much like the traditional applicant, and individual with a spinal cord injury is much more likely to thrive in an environment that supports their personal interests, skills and abilities.

The most challenging population to work with for rehabilitation professionals will be working with victims that have the most sever injuries, those that are advanced in age and those with the least amount of education. However the first step toward helping facilitate job placement among this population is understanding the specific challenges and risk factors that can be attributed to this group, which have been identified above.

Individuals with spinal cord injuries can have positive job placement experiences when they work in a supportive environment and with people that understand the unique challenges they face both personally and professionally. Job placement strategies are most likely to be successful when they take into consideration the whole person, and the unique challenges both physically and mentally they face.

Special emphasis need be given to minority populations and those who have been injured the longest, with the least amount of education. These populations seem to be particularly at risk with regard to job placement opportunities after injury. Spinal cord victims who were not employed at the time of their injury are more likely to face an uphill battle when seeking meaningful employment than those who were employed. However, the body of evidence available does indicate that many positive opportunities exist for persons with spinal cord injuries, and that finding meaningful employment can improve the overall quality of life and life satisfaction reported by persons with SCI. Thus it remains a vital and critical issue.