| Citation: |
Krause, J. S., & Terza, J. V. (2006). Injury and demographic factors predictive of disparities in earnings after spinal cord injury.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 87
(10),
1318-1326.
|
| Title: |
Injury and demographic factors predictive of disparities in earnings after spinal cord injury |
| Authors: |
Krause, J. S., & Terza, J. V. |
| Year: |
2006 |
|
Journal/Publication:
|
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation |
| Publisher: |
American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine |
| DOI: |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2006.07.254
|
| Full text: |
http://proxy.library.vcu.edu/login?url=http://www.archives-pmr.org/...
|
| Peer-reviewed? |
Yes
|
| NIDILRR-funded? |
Yes
|
|
Research design:
|
Survey research
|
| Background: |
Spinal cord injuries (SCI) are associated with direct and high costs of medical care both in the immediate aftermath and later in life. An indirect cost of SCI that gets overlooked is the lost earnings in employment that cannot be obtained afterwards. Employment rates of persons with SCI consistently lag behind that of the general population in research. Those persons with less severe injuries and more education have generally had greater employment outcomes and better earnings in past research. Increased earnings can lead to increased longevity and higher quality of life. |
|
Purpose:
|
The purpose of this study was to identify differences in earnings among persons with SCI that can be attributed to biographical, injury, and educational factors. |
|
Setting:
|
Participants were selected from hospitals in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. |
|
Study sample: |
The participants (N=615) all met the following inclusion criteria: (1) experienced a traumatic SCI, (2) at least two years from the onset of the SCI, and (3) between the ages of 18-65. All participants were part of an ongoing longitudinal study. |
|
Control or comparison condition:
|
Earnings after SCI |
|
Data collection and analysis:
|
The Life Situation Questionnaire-Revised was mailed to all participants to collect biographic, educational, and earning data. Statistical analysis was done to determine the association of various factors with earnings. |
|
Findings:
|
More earnings were seen by those participants that were: male, non-African-American, having a college degree, aged 34 or less and ambulatory. |
|
Conclusions:
|
The research suggests that there are significant challenges to post SCI earnings in people that do not meet the characteristics that were associated with the highest earnings in this study. Vocational rehabilitation counselors should be aware of the challenges their clients may face. |
