Crudden Adele, Steverson Anne, Sergi Katerina
National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, USA.
J Vocat Rehabil. 2024;61(1):39-53. doi: 10.3233/jvr-240018.
Approximately half of people with vision impairments are not employed or looking for work. Many of these people have additional health or disability concerns, but little is known about those concerns or other reasons they are out of the workforce.
We investigated employment barriers impacting labor force participation among people with vision impairments, their perceptions of their skills and training needs, and the impact of not working on their economic status.
Thirty people with vision impairments who were not in the labor force participated in exploratory interviews conducted using a semi-structured protocol. We used a qualitative software program and multiple researchers to code the interviews, identify and analyze themes, and organize participants' information.
Employment barriers included concerns about health and disability, employer attitudes, transportation, training needs, economics, age, and lack of support. Some participants wanted to work now or in the past but were unable to find employment that accommodated their needs and generated a salary that made it economically worthwhile.
Participants appear to need assistance identifying career paths leading to economic security, training for these careers, locating affordable transportation, and working with employers to gain workplace accommodations. Providing support and encouraging family support may positively influence interest in employment.
约半数视力障碍者未就业或未在找工作。这些人中许多还有其他健康或残疾问题，但对于这些问题以及他们未就业的其他原因，人们了解甚少。
我们调查了影响视力障碍者劳动力参与的就业障碍、他们对自身技能和培训需求的看法，以及不工作对其经济状况的影响。
30名未就业的视力障碍者参与了使用半结构化方案进行的探索性访谈。我们使用定性软件程序和多名研究人员对访谈进行编码、识别和分析主题，并整理参与者的信息。
就业障碍包括对健康和残疾的担忧、雇主态度、交通、培训需求、经济状况、年龄以及缺乏支持。一些参与者现在或过去想工作，但找不到能满足其需求且薪资使其经济上值得工作的就业机会。
参与者似乎需要协助来确定通向经济保障的职业道路、接受这些职业的培训、找到负担得起的交通方式，以及与雇主合作以获得工作场所便利。提供支持并鼓励家庭支持可能会对就业兴趣产生积极影响。
