Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation - Volume 31, issue 2

Authors: Rumrill Jr., Phillip D.

Article Type: Review Article

DOI: 10.3233/JVR-2009-475

Citation: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 73-, 2009

Authors: Rumrill Jr., Phillip D.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This article provides an overview of the etiology, incidence, and prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS), one of the most common neurological disorders in the world. The author describes the demographic characteristics of people who incur MS, discusses the auto-immune processes that cause damage to the central nervous system, reports the most frequently occurring symptoms, and presents treatment and symptom management strategies that have proven efficacious in reducing the extent of disability associated with this chronic and unpredictable disease.

Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, medical and psychological aspects, chronic illness

DOI: 10.3233/JVR-2009-476

Citation: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 75-82, 2009

Authors: Rumrill Jr., Phillip D.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This article describes the current employment scene for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and discusses a number of factors that have been associated with the high rate of joblessness among people with this chronic, unpredictable disease. Implications for research, policy, and vocational rehabilitation service delivery are presented throughout the article.

Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, employment and career development, vocational rehabilitation

DOI: 10.3233/JVR-2009-477

Citation: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 83-90, 2009

Authors: Pack, Tresvil G. | Szirony, Gary M.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Return to work is a key concept in vocational rehabilitation. Predicting readiness to return to work is salient to the process of vocational rehabilitation for individuals with Multiple Sclerosis. An individual's readiness to return to work has been shown to be an effective predictor of that person's actual return to work. A survey of a population of persons with MS (N = 663) was analyzed using correlation and multiple regression analyses. Severity of symptoms appeared to predict reported readiness to return to work over other factors. Issues including the relationship of self-efficacy to readiness to return to work are discussed. …Further research is recommended. Show more

Keywords: Return to work, multiple sclerosis, MS, vocational rehabilitation

DOI: 10.3233/JVR-2009-478

Citation: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 91-105, 2009

Authors: Bishop, Malachy | Frain, Michael P. | Espinosa, Christina T. | Stenhoff, Donald M.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Being well-informed about multiple sclerosis (MS) and its treatment is associated with a number of positive clinical and psychosocial outcomes, including higher levels of quality of life and personal control, better coping and adjustment after diagnosis, and reduced dependence on health providers. Understanding the sources from which people with MS seek information is important in assuring that timely, accurate, and useful information is available in a medium and format that is accessible. The purpose of this study was to explore the information seeking behavior of people with MS and to analyze the extent to which information source was associated with …personal, demographic, and illness variables. A sample of 409 adults with MS recruited through the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) completed questionnaires about their primary source of MS information and demographic and illness characteristics. Descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and bivariate correlation analyses were applied to the data to identify the most frequently utilized sources of MS information and examine relationships between information source and to personal, demographic, and illness variables. The most frequently identified sources of information about MS and its treatment was physicians or neurologists, followed by the Internet. Age was an important variable in distinguishing the primary information source between groups. Generally, younger patients are more likely to obtain MS information primarily through the Internet while older patients obtain information primarily through their neurologist. This study provides information useful in effectively targeting MS information and understanding how persons with MS access information, Further research is needed to understand differences in the quality, quantity, and sources of MS information available, the extent to which differences in sources of MS information may affect patients' decisions about their treatment, and how individual variables may affect patients' ability to access, understand, and remember educational material. Show more

Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, information seeking, health promotion

DOI: 10.3233/JVR-2009-479

Citation: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 107-117, 2009

Authors: Bishop, Malachy | Frain, Michael P. | Rumrill, Phillip D. | Rymond, Christopher

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) may face numerous barriers to employment retention. Comprehensively understanding these barriers is important for implementing effective vocational rehabilitation interventions. Although several demographic and MS-related variables have consistently been found to be related to employment status, self-management and adherence to treatment have infrequently been evaluated in this context. This article explores the relationships between employment status and the use of disease-modifying therapy and self-management among a community-based sample of adults with MS using both bivariate and multivariate analyses. Group comparisons between employed and unemployed adults with MS suggested that both self-management and DMT use are significantly …related to employment. In a stepwise binary logistic regression analysis, age, duration in years diagnosed with MS, and scores on a multi-dimensional MS self-management scale were positively related to employment. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for rehabilitation intervention. Show more

Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, self-management, employment status

DOI: 10.3233/JVR-2009-480

Citation: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 119-127, 2009

Authors: Fraser, Robert T. | Clemmons, David | Gibbons, Laura | Koepnick, David | Getter, Amy | Johnson, Erica

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This study examined salient disability, demographic, psychosocial, and neuropsychological variables as predictors of employment stability for vocational rehabilitation clients with MS served at the University of Washington (1998–2003). Although a number of variables were initially significantly related to vocational stability (e.g., Personal Capacities Questionnaire score, number of months employed in the last 2 years, and the Activities of Daily Living-MS Scale score), only the FAS Controlled Oral Word Association Test-3, a measure of verbal fluency and executive functioning, remained significant (p < 0.01) when controlling for multiple comparisons. Implications are discussed in relation to vocational rehabilitation assessment and intervention planning.

Keywords: Vocational rehabilitation, multiple sclerosis, neuropsychology

DOI: 10.3233/JVR-2009-481

Citation: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 129-135, 2009