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.
