To work or not to work: labour market participation of people with spinal cord injury living in Switzerland.

Abstract

Cross-sectional survey. To establish labour market participation figures of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) living in Switzerland and to investigate determinants and consequences of having paid work. Community. A survey among members of the Swiss Paraplegic Association was performed in 2008. Inclusion criteria were: SCI of traumatic or non-traumatic origin, minimum age of 18 years, and living in the community for at least 1 year. A total of 559 persons with SCI returned the questionnaire (response rate 27%), of which 495 (24%) fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed based on theoretical considerations and relevant determinants found in the literature. Of the respondents of working age, 63.8% were involved in gainful employment. No significant difference between persons with para- and tetraplegia was observed. Logistic regression showed that employment was associated with age, time since onset of SCI, having worked at 2 years after initial rehabilitation, having received vocational counselling, having less pain, more years of education and more perceived importance of work. Working persons achieved a significantly higher total income. The most important reasons to work were not financial, but rather of social nature. Barriers to work were primarily health-related. We found a relatively high employment rate among the studied persons with SCI living in Switzerland. However, because of the low response, it is difficult to generalise this finding.