A Two-Phase Examination of Labor Force Participation, Employment Concerns, and Workplace Discrimination among Latinas/os and African Americans with Multiple Sclerosis

ABSTRACT Background: This project investigates the employment experiences of the growing numbers of Hispanic/Latinos and African Americans with MS. The research represents an important extension of a project funded by the National MS Society in which Dr. Rumrill’s team examined the employment concerns and discrimination experiences of Americans with MS. Results revealed that the employment concerns facing both non-Caucasian groups were different from those of the Caucasian group. The Study: For this study, Dr. Rumrill is conducting a national survey of employment concerns and experiences utilizing random samples of Caucasians, Hispanic/Latinos, and African Americans with MS (1,000 in each group). Studies comparing the two minority groups to the Caucasian group are planned to identify predictors associated with return to work optimism for unemployed participants, factors associated with turnover intention for employed participants, and patterns in the use of workplace accommodations among employed participants. What’s Next? With a better understanding of employment status, employment-related concerns, and discrimination experiences, MS professionals can develop a wide variety of interventions that will improve the employment rates of Hispanic/Latinos and African Americans with MS.