Factors Impacting Employment Outcomes for Older Adults With Disabilities in Korea. (October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lee, Juyoung; Bezyak, Jill L.; Kim, Won Ho
• Is Part Of: Rehabilitation counseling bulletin. Volume 64:Number 1(2020:Oct.)
• Page Start: 42
• Page End: 51
• Publication Date: 2020-10
• Subjects: older adults with disabilities -- employment rate -- life-span perspective; Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; 617.06
• DOI: 10.1177/0034355220902242
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0034-3552

Abstract

Although older adults with disabilities have a need and desire to be productive, for many this takes the form of work, they often face barriers in finding and maintaining employment. To improve understanding of employment characteristics and needs for older adults with disabilities in Korea, this study examined their employment rates (ER) from a life-span perspective. A dataset on individuals from age 41 to 75 ( N = 4, 211) from the Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled (PSED), collected by the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled (KEAD) from 2008 to 2015, was used. The study looked at whether ER were significantly different among age ranges of older adults with disabilities in Korea and also what factors predict their ER, using ANOVA (analysis of variance) and tobit regression. As a result, the study confirmed factors influencing employment with older adults with disabilities, including demographic factors, disability factors, health-related factors, and psychosocial factors, varied for different age groups. This implies that it is crucial to attend to the diverse needs of individuals with disabilities at various ages, and vocational rehabilitation services need to be customized for different age groups.