Occupational characteristics of adults with pediatric-onset spinal cord injury.

BACKGROUND: Employment rates among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) are lower than in the general population and little is known about the specific occupations in which they are employed.

OBJECTIVES: To describe specific occupations of adults with pediatric-onset SCI using the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and to determine associations between SOC occupations and demographic factors.

METHODS: Cross-sectional data specific to education and employment were collected from the last interviews of a larger longitudinal study. Occupations were categorized according to the 2010 SOC system. SOC groups were compared within gender level of injury and final education.

RESULTS: Of the 461 total participants 219 (47.5%) were employed and specific occupations were available for 179. Among the SOC groups Education Law Community Service Arts and Media Occupations were most prevalent (30.2%) followed by Management Business and Finance Occupations (21.1%) Computer Engineering and Science Occupations (10.6%) Administrative and Office Support Occupations (10.0%) Service Occupations (7.3%) Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations (3.9%) and Production Occupations (3.4%). Differences were found in the distribution of SOC groups between gender levels of injury and final education groups.

CONCLUSION: A wide variety of occupations were reported in adults with pediatric-onset SCI generally in concordance with final education and functional ability levels.