The Impact of Health Condition, Economic Status, and Vocational Ability on Willingness to Work: Targeting Unemployed People with Mental Disabilities

J Health Info Stat > Volume 38(2); 2013 > Article

J Health Info Stat 2013;38(2):84-95.

미취업 정신장애인의 건강상태, 경제수준, 직업능력이 취업의사에 미치는 영향

이현경 , 최승순 , 안지영

The Impact of Health Condition, Economic Status, and Vocational Ability on Willingness to Work: Targeting Unemployed People with Mental Disabilities

Hyun Kyung Lee , Sung Sun Choi , Ji Young An

ABSTRACT

Objectives:
The purpose of this study was to explore influencing factors associated with willingness to work targeting unemployed people with mental disabilities in Korea.
Methods:
Data for this study were obtained from the 2011 panel survey of employment for the disabled. Mentally disabled people only who had no job (n=78) were included in this study. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, χ2-test, and hierarchical multiple logistic regression. For the analyses, SPSS ver. 20 was used.
Results:
The main findings were as follows. Men in their 40s and high school graduates were dominant in this study. Overall, their socio-economic status was very low. The majority responded that their interpersonal/ organizational skills were far below average. In the hierarchical logistic regression models, subjective health condition was the only variable which was statistically significant to willingness to work.
Conclusions:
Based on these findings, it is important to provide government-led community-based health promotion and vocational rehabilitation programs for unemployed people with mental disabilities. In addition, considering the characteristics and nature of mental disabilities, psycho-socially supportive as well as physically friendly environments should be developed.

Key words: Mental health, Mental disabilities, Psychiatric rehabilitation, Vocational rehabilitation, Willingness to work