Vocational rehabilitation factors associated with successful return to work outcomes for clients with Parkinson's disease

PURPOSE: This study investigated the extent to which demographic characteristics, receipt of Social Security benefits, and vocational rehabilitation (VR) services influence competitive employment outcomes for people with Parkinson's Disease who were unemployed at the time they enrolled in the state-federal Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program. METHOD: The Rehabilitation Services Administration's Case Service Report (RSA-911) database for Fiscal Year 2014 was examined using a purposeful selection logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Results indicated that participants who received on-the-job support (both short-term and long-term), job placement, maintenance, and college or university tuition assistance from the VR program were significantly more likely to achieve competitive employment than were participants who did not receive those services. Participants who received assessment services were less likely to achieve competitive employment than were those who did not receive assessment services. In addition, receiving a greater number of VR services over a shorter period of time and not receiving Social Security disability benefits were positively associated with competitive employment outcomes. CONCLUSION: Overall, the number and type of VR services received had more influence on competitive employment outcomes than did client demographic variables.