Sino-American employer perspective about behavioral-driven health conditions: Predictive analyses

Abstract

Objective. A large-scale quantitative study was conducted by stratified representative samples from Chicago (prototype of the United States; N = 293), Beijing (prototype of urbanized China; N = 302), and Hong Kong (prototype of East-meets-West culture; N = 284) to explore factors that might lead to their stigmatizing attitudes towards hiring individuals with (mental illness, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and HIV/AIDS) and without (bone cancer) behavioral-driven health conditions. Methods. Consented employers completed the Employer Survey pertaining to their attitudes towards specific health conditions, previous hiring experiences, resources, assets of applicants, and hiring concerns. Results. The findings suggested that employers in Hong Kong and Beijing were more willing to hire individuals with alcohol abuse, whereas employers in Chicago were more willing to hire those with HIV/AIDS or bone cancer. Logistic regression suggested that the type of health conditions, assets of applicants, and perceived level of dangerousness of applicants were significant predictors that contributed to employers’ hiring preference. Conclusion. Employers express different hiring preference towards individuals with or without behavioral-driven health conditions. Their hiring preference towards specific type of health conditions is discussed.

Key Words::

• Stigma
• attitudes
• cross-cultural
• behavioral-driven health conditions
• employers

Acknowledgments

This project was made possible through a grant from the US National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute of Mental Health, and Fogarty International Center (AA-014842-01).

Statement of Interest

None to declare.