abstract: 'Study design: Cross-sectional survey.

  Objectives: To establish labour market participation figures of persons

  with spinal cord injury (SCI) living in Switzerland and to investigate

  determinants and consequences of having paid work.

  Setting: Community.

  Methods: A survey among members of the Swiss Paraplegic Association was

  performed in 2008. Inclusion criteria were: SCI of traumatic or

  non-traumatic origin, minimum age of 18 years, and living in the

  community for at least 1 year. A total of 559 persons with SCI returned

  the questionnaire (response rate 27\%), of which 495 (24\%) fulfilled

  the eligibility criteria. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses

  were performed based on theoretical considerations and relevant

  determinants found in the literature.

  Results: Of the respondents of working age, 63.8\% were involved in

  gainful employment. No significant difference between persons with

  para-and tetraplegia was observed. Logistic regression showed that

  employment was associated with age, time since onset of SCI, having

  worked at 2 years after initial rehabilitation, having received

  vocational counselling, having less pain, more years of education and

  more perceived importance of work. Working persons achieved a

  significantly higher total income. The most important reasons to work

  were not financial, but rather of social nature. Barriers to work were

  primarily health-related.

  Conclusions: We found a relatively high employment rate among the

  studied persons with SCI living in Switzerland. However, because of the

  low response, it is difficult to generalise this finding. Spinal Cord

  (2012) 50, 521-526; doi: 10.1038/sc.2011.181; published online 17

  January 2012'
affiliation: 'Marti, A (Corresponding Author), Univ Lucerne, Dept Hlth Sci \& Hlth
  Policy, Swiss Parapleg Res SPF, Guido A Zach Str 4, CH-6207 Nottwil, Switzerland.

  Marti, A.; Reinhardt, J. D.; Graf, S.; Escorpizo, R., SPF, Nottwil, Switzerland.

  Post, M. W. M., Univ Med Ctr Utrecht, Rudolf Magnus Inst Neurosci, Utrecht, Netherlands.

  Post, M. W. M., Univ Med Ctr Utrecht, Ctr Excellence Rehabil Med, Utrecht, Netherlands.'
author: Marti, A. and Reinhardt, J. D. and Graf, S. and Escorpizo, R. and Post, M.
  W. M.
author-email: albert.marti@paranet.ch
author_list:
- family: Marti
  given: A.
- family: Reinhardt
  given: J. D.
- family: Graf
  given: S.
- family: Escorpizo
  given: R.
- family: Post
  given: M. W. M.
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1038/sc.2011.181
files: []
issn: 1362-4393
journal: SPINAL CORD
keywords: 'spinal cord injury; employment; return to work; determinants of working;

  consequences of working'
keywords-plus: EMPLOYMENT; RETURN
language: English
month: JUL
number: '7'
number-of-cited-references: '23'
orcid-numbers: Escorpizo, Reuben/0000-0002-3199-4744
pages: 521-526
papis_id: bdef81dcce77daecc9140d7ec0b4b9d6
ref: Marti2012worknot
researcherid-numbers: 'Escorpizo, Reuben/AAH-4934-2019

  Post, Marcel/AAS-2502-2021

  '
times-cited: '35'
title: 'To work or not to work: labour market participation of people with spinal
  cord injury living in Switzerland'
type: Article
unique-id: WOS:000306282700009
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '7'
volume: '50'
web-of-science-categories: Clinical Neurology; Rehabilitation
year: '2012'