Job considerations among individuals with multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) face multiple barriers to obtaining and maintaining employment. Therefore, we need to understand the job considerations deemed most important by persons with MS as they decide to obtain or maintain employment. OBJECTIVE: Identify: (1) the relative importance of 10 job considerations items from the Job Considerations Scale among participants with MS, and (2) the underlying factor structure of the items. The Job Considerations Scale was previously used with persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: Self-reported employment outcomes were obtained from 1333 participants with MS identified through records of a clinical facility in the Southeastern United States specializing in MS treatment. RESULTS: The job considerations identified as most important were having insurance and benefits (4.21), enjoyment from work (4.06), and salary (4.00). Two factors emerged from the factor analysis - tangible and intangible considerations for working. Tangible factors relate to earnings, benefits, and advancement; whereas intangible factors relate more to social and personal aspects of employment. CONCLUSIONS: The tangible and intangible job considerations resulting from the factor analysis are consistent with similar research on SCI, establishing the validity and utility of the Job Considerations Scale with persons with MS.