title: Earnings among people with spinal cord injury.
abstract: METHODS
  Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify differences in earnings among participants with spinal cord injury (SCI) and their relation to demographic, injury, educational and employment-related factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  People living with SCI in the community who were members of a disability support organization.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 76 members who have had traumatic SCI for at least 2 years, between 15 and 64 years of age at time of study and were working before SCI were interviewed over the phone. The earnings were categorized as more, same or less than before SCI or no income for those unemployed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 76 participants (who averaged about 15.1 years post SCI), only 13 participants (17.1%) were earning more than before injury, whereas majority were in the category of having no income, being unemployed at time of study, n=36 (47.4%). Factors positively related to earnings were having more years in education, both at time of injury and at time of survey. As anticipated, those currently in full time and paid employments were earning more while receipt of financial compensation was negatively related to earnings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite a lengthy period of time post SCI, only a minority were earning more, reflecting poorly on the quality of post SCI employment experience. The rehabilitation team should therefore focus on improving both educational and vocational opportunities for persons with SCI and aim for full time, paid employments. The current workers' compensation scheme renders the recipient at a static income and may need to be revised.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. drkumaran@um.edu.my
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ramakrishnan
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Omar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000191:economics* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D055815:Young Adult