Disability and employment among U.S. working-age immigrants.
BACKGROUND
There is little research which examines disability status and the employment decisions of the US immigrant working-age population.


METHODS
The 2007 American Community Survey data were analyzed to compare disabilities and employment characteristics between immigrant and US-born adults 18-64 years of age. Separate logistic regression models of employment were constructed among persons with disabilities and among persons without disabilities. Each multivariate model included nativity/citizenship, sex, race/ethnicity, age, and education.


RESULTS
In 2007, 40.8% (95% CI: 39.9-41.7) of immigrants with disabilities were employed, while only 34.9% (95% CI: 34.6-35.2) of US-born persons with disabilities were employed. For each type of disability, including difficulty working, immigrants with disabilities were more likely than their US-born counterparts to be employed. The median wage/salary incomes for persons with disabilities, foreign-born and US-born, respectively, were $20,000 and $22,000. In contrast, the median wage/salary incomes of foreign-born persons with mental impairments, self-care limitations, or participation restrictions exceeded those of US-born persons with these same disabilities. Nativity and citizenship had different effects in separate logistic models of employment for persons with disabilities and persons without disabilities. Among persons with disabilities, foreign-born citizens were more likely to be employed than the US-born, OR = 1.40 (95% CI: 1.33-1.48), and non-citizens were also more likely to be employed, OR = 1.74 (95% CI: 1.62-1.87), than US-born persons. Among persons without disabilities, foreign-born non-citizens were less likely to be employed than the US-born, OR = 0.82 (95% CI: 0.82-0.85).


CONCLUSIONS
Immigrants with disabilities were more frequently employed than US-born persons with disabilities for all types of disabilities.
Xiang
Huiyun
H
Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43205, USA. xiangh@pediatrics.ohio-state.edu
Shi
Junxin
J
Wheeler
Krista
K
Wilkins
J R
JR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009790:Occupations; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D000078329:Workforce; D055815:Young Adult