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Work experience in adolescents with spinal cord injuries
Author(s) -
Anderson Caroline J,
Vogel Lawrence C
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2000.tb00706.x
Subject(s) - telephone interview , physical therapy , medicine , psychology , significant difference , spinal cord injury , volunteer , psychiatry , spinal cord , social science , agronomy , sociology , biology
The purpose of this study is to compare the work experiences of adolescents with spinal cord injuries (SCI) to peers without disabilities. Twenty‐eight adolescents with SCI and 25 age‐matched individuals without disabilities (controls) took part in the study. A structured telephone questionnaire was used to assess their experience of household chores, volunteer jobs, and paid work. The mean age at interview was 16.2 years for those with SCI and 16.0 years for control participants. There was no significant difference between the individuals with SCI and the control participants in chores or volunteer work experiences, but the individuals with SCI were significantly less likely to have paid work experience than control participants ( χ 2 = 13.670, p <0.001). Of the older adolescents, aged >15 to 19 years, five of 15 individuals with SCI and 16 of 16 control participants had paid work (Fisher exact test p<0.001 ). Of individuals with SCI, those with milder injuries and those injured at a younger age were more likely to have work experience.