Surveying the employment concerns of people with multiple sclerosis: A participatory action research approach

The article describes the results of a survey of the employment concerns reported by a random sample (N = 227) of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). From an item pool generated in previous research, state chapter members of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society identified 34 employment concerns as most reflective of the career development implications of MS. Survey respondents considered each item along two dimensions, the importance of the item to career development and their satisfaction with the adequacy of services to address that concern. Results regarding high importance items indicated that respondents were most satisfied with issues such as health insurance coverage, potential to work and take control of their lives, wages and benefits, and workplace accommodations. They were most dissatisfied with issues including fair treatment by employers in the hiring process, access to service providers who understand their needs, access to adequate information about Social Security programs, optimism regarding their future, and issues related to re-entering the workforce. Implications for vocational rehabilitation practice and future research are discussed.