Factors associated with sustaining work with chronic spinal cord injury: a scoping review

Abstract

Purpose

Work participation remains challenging for people with spinal cord injury (SCI), as reflected in lower employment rates compared to the general population. To promote work participation for people with SCI, practitioners and policymakers need a better understanding of the factors associated with sustaining work in the long term. This study aimed to identify such factors.

Materials and methods

Scoping review synthesizing quantitative and qualitative research published between 2000 and 2021. The databases searched were PubMed, CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science.

Results

Initially, 1221 articles were identified. Three quantitative studies investigating socio-demographic and injury-related factors and eight qualitative studies exploring mainly personal and environmental facilitators and barriers to working in the long term were retained. The results of the quantitative studies showed the importance of time since injury, age, and education. The qualitative findings emphasized the positive influence of self-advocacy, managing health behaviors, and a supportive work environment. Main barriers were time organization and societal attitudes.

Conclusions

Future interventions should address the identified factors to promote working in the long term of people with SCI. Policymakers should adapt and enforce legal standards that address environmental and social barriers to creating supportive work environments for persons with SCI.

Implications for rehabilitation

• People with spinal cord injury (SCI) experience difficulties in maintaining employment.

• Personal factors identified as crucial for working in the long term, such as self-advocacy and self-management of health behaviors, should be strengthened by future interventions.

• People with SCI should be offered a supportive work environment with work accommodations and flexible working hours to facilitate their labor market participation.

Keywords:

• Working in the long term
• sustained employment
• work stability
• spinal cord injury (SCI)

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Wolfgang Segerer for his technical support.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The present study was conducted as part of a PhD thesis and supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation under Grant No. 10531C_173322/1.