Factors associated with employment of powered wheelchair users.
Purpose: To identify correlations between demographic, health-related, environmental factors and the employment status of power wheelchair (PWC) users. Method: We retrospectively analysed semi-structured interviews with 128 participants, their assistants or family members, and the participant's prov...
| Published in: | Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology Vol. 19; no. 8; pp. 2983 - 2991 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
| Format: | research tables/charts Journal Article |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Nov2024
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=180828106&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 180828106 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 17483107 1X04 jtl: Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology issn: 17483107 maglogo: Y pubinfo: dt: Nov2024 vid: 19 iid: 8 pid: 377 pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania artinfo: ui: 180828106 176030543 180828106 180828106 10.1080/17483107.2024.2328329 180828106 ppf: 2983 ppct: 8 formats: fmt: – @attributes: type: T – @attributes: type: P tig: atl: Factors associated with employment of powered wheelchair users. aug: au: Tederko, Piotr Frasuńska, Justyna Bobecka Wesołowska, Konstancja Wesołowski, Krzysztof Czech, Julita Gawlak, Dominika Tarnacka, Beata affil: Department of Rehabilitation, Postgraduate Medical Education Centre, Gruca Orthopedic and Trauma Teaching Hospital in Otwock, Otwock, Poland sug: subj: Wheelchairs, Powered Employment of Persons with Disabilities Psychosocial Factors Employment Status Psychosocial Factors Sociodemographic Factors Health Status Work Environment Human Male Female Adolescence Adult Middle Age Aged Persons with Disabilities Correlational Studies Retrospective Design Record Review Semi-Structured Interview Electronic Health Records Poland Financial Support Fisher's Exact Test Educational Status Residence Characteristics Urban Areas Rehabilitation, Vocational Community Living Interpersonal Relations Unemployment Financial Stress Employment, Supported Public Policy Transportation Architectural Accessibility Job Satisfaction Descriptive Statistics Kruskal-Wallis Test Logistic Regression Adolescent: 13-18 years Adult: 19-44 years Middle Aged: 45-64 years Aged: 65+ years Male Female ab: Purpose: To identify correlations between demographic, health-related, environmental factors and the employment status of power wheelchair (PWC) users. Method: We retrospectively analysed semi-structured interviews with 128 participants, their assistants or family members, and the participant's provided medical records. Participants were adult PWC users who applied for grants in purchasing a new PWC for gaining or keeping employment between 2019–2021 in Mazovian Province, Poland. Results: Forty-six PWC users (35.9%) were employed while applying for the financial support programme. Fischer's Exact Test of Independence identified positive correlations between employment and education level (p < 0.001), residing in an urban area (p = 0.02), being employed before starting PWC use (p < 0.001), having vocational rehabilitation (p < 0.001), and living in a relationship (p = 0.002). There were no associations between employment status and sex, age at study entry, age at disability onset, living alone or with others, duration of PWC use, or full or part-time PWC use. Our findings indicate that PWC users are at risk of non-employment and financial hardship. This research may support policies for PWC provision that would support gainful employment. The results show that access to quality education, vocational rehabilitation, and perhaps the physical/emotional support from others in close relationships matter. These aspects should be considered in educational policies, transportation, and physical environmental accessibility for PWC users, supporting their gainful employment. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Paid employment is recognised for its positive impact on the financial situation, health, and overall life satisfaction of power wheelchair users. Rehabilitation professionals can play a crucial role in facilitating the attainment and maintenance of employment throughout the clinical process. Educating power wheelchair users with factors conducive to supporting their employment, such as pursuing advanced education, utilising vocational rehabilitation services, residing in urban areas, fostering meaningful social relationships, and drawing upon previous employment experiences, may improve outcomes. Sex, age, disability cause, duration of disability, and reliance on a power wheelchair as the primary mode of mobility were found to be unrelated to employment status among power wheelchair users. Further investigation into the needs of the power wheelchair user population in their pursuit of gainful employment is justified. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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