title: Functional and environmental factors affecting work status in individuals with longstanding poliomyelitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Remunerative employment is a major concern of individuals with chronic disabilities, among them, those with longstanding poliomyelitis (LSP). Although LSP is not rare there are almost no data related to work participation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims  of the current study were to determine the effects of a number of social and functional variables as barriers or facilitators to work participation in persons with LSP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Charts of 123 LSP patients of working age that were seen in the post-polio outpatient  clinic, between the years 2000 and 2005 were reviewed for the study. Data on age, gender, family status, level of function in activities of daily living, basic, and extended (B-ADL and E-ADL), and mobility were then analyzed for correlation to the vocational status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-two people (58.5%) were employed at the time of the survey. Gender and marital status were not found to significantly differ as regard to employment. Using assistive devices for mobility or being dependent for basic ADL were associated with lower levels of employment. Driving was  positively associated with the employment status of the LSP individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Persons with LSP encounter important barriers to work participation, particularly on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) components of activity  and environment.
authors.affiliation: The Chaim Sheba Medical Centre, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: Gabi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zeilig
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weingarden
authors.forename: Yeheskel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shemesh
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heim
authors.forename: Manual
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeweker
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dudkiewicz
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014937:Work