Employment needs of people with multiple sclerosis: a review of current literature and application to occupational therapy practice.
Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) are often diagnosed during a period of life when career exploration and development occurs. The purpose of this paper is to examine the literature that has been published from 1996 to 2004 about the employment needs of people with MS in order to build upon Rumrill's (1996a) text and develop a set of treatment priorities for occupational therapists working with this population. The current literature highlights the potential employment challenges and incentives, programmatic barriers, and challenges specific to women with MS. The literature also highlights the changing meaning of work, the importance of coping with these changes, and the scope of needed intervention. Outlined are occupational therapy treatment priorities for people with MS in the performance area of work.
University of Illinois at Chicago (MC 811), 1919 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL, 60612 tvande2@uic.edu.
Toni
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Van Denend