| Citation: |
Krause, J. S., Terza, J. V., & Dismuke, C. (2008). Earnings among people with spinal cord injury.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 89
(8),
1474-1481.
|
| Title: |
Earnings among people with spinal cord injury |
| Authors: |
Krause, J. S., Terza, J. V., & Dismuke, C. |
| Year: |
2008 |
|
Journal/Publication:
|
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation |
| Publisher: |
American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine |
| DOI: |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2007.12.040
|
| Full text: |
http://www.archives-pmr.org/article/S0003-9993(08)00341-9/abstract
|
| Peer-reviewed? |
Yes
|
| NIDILRR-funded? |
Yes
|
|
Research design:
|
Survey research
|
| Background: |
Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in substantial costs in medical care. There is also an indirect cost of SCI in terms of lost employment earnings. Past research has found the lost earnings per year of persons with SCI to average anywhere from $13,566-$37,851 among the study samples. Various biographical, injury, educational, and work related factors come into play to determine the lost earnings per year. |
|
Purpose:
|
This study aimed to determine the differences in post SCI work-related earnings attributable to different biographical, injury, educational, and work related factors. |
|
Setting:
|
A hospital in the Midwestern United States and a SCI specialty hospital in the Southeastern United States. |
|
Study sample: |
All participants (N=1296) met the inclusion criteria of: (1) suffered a traumatic SCI, (2) at least one year post SCI, and (3) between the ages of 18-64. The study sample was mostly white (78%) and male (74%). Twenty three percent of the study sample was ambulatory. Participants had an average of 13.7 years of education. |
|
Intervention:
|
N/A |
|
Control or comparison condition:
|
Post SCI work related earnings as a function of different biographical, injury, educational, and work related factors |
|
Data collection and analysis:
|
The Life Situation Questionnaire-Revised was used to determine biographical, educational, and employment outcome data. Participants were asked their annual income in a single item. A regression analysis was used to determine the targeted measures. |
|
Findings:
|
Sex and race were related to earnings with Caucasian men having the highest post SCI earnings. Those with 16 or more years of education earned the most among the various education levels. Those working in government or private industry earned the most among the different industries. The less time to post SCI employment the more that was earned among the participants. |
|
Conclusions:
|
In order to improve post SCI employment outcomes vocational rehabilitation counselors should focus on getting clients back to work as soon as possible and finding work in government or private industry if returning to the pre injury employer is not possible. Particular attention should be paid to employment outcomes in women and minorities. |
