Delineating disability, labour force participation and employment restrictions among persons with psychosis.
OBJECTIVE
To delineate at a population level: activity restrictions, labour market participation, educational attainment, employment restrictions and employment characteristics of persons with psychosis compared with healthy non-disabled persons.


METHODS
Confidentialized data files were provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data were collected in a national survey titled "Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia 1998". Multi-stage sampling strategies obtained a probability sample of 42 664 individuals. Trained interviewers using ICD-10 computer-assisted interviews identified household residents with psychosis.


RESULTS
Among householders with psychosis aged 15-64 years, 75.2% were non-participants in the labour market, 21.1% were employed and 3.7% were looking for work. Completing school years 10 and 11, and vocational training, appeared to offer an employment advantage.


CONCLUSIONS
Persons with psychotic disorders have low rates of labour force participation and may benefit from greater participation in educational and vocational services. Implications for policy development are discussed.
Mental Health Policy and Economics Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), Centre for Mental Health, The Park, Wacol, Queensland 4076, Australia. geoff_waghorn@qcmhr.uq.edu.au
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017149:Private Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017150:Public Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires