Disability Phenotypes and Job Accommodations Utilization Among People with Physical Disability

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation research
• Disability studies
• Occupational science

Background:

• Employment disparities persist for people with disabilities (PWD).
• Reasonable job accommodations are crucial for equitable employment access.
• Accommodation utilization is suboptimal, potentially influenced by co-occurring impairments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct disability phenotypes among PWD.
• To determine frequently utilized job accommodations.
• To explore employee- and job-related factors associated with accommodation use extent.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional online survey of 326 PWD in the US Midwest.
• Latent class analysis to define disability phenotypes.
• Descriptive and stepwise Poisson regression to identify factors influencing accommodation use.

Main Results:

• Three disability phenotypes were identified: severe multi-domain (32%), moderate cognitive/low physical (48%), and high physical (20%).
• 80% of PWD received at least one accommodation; common ones included flexible schedules, telework, and support persons.
• Accommodation use was dependently associated with employee factors (age, phenotype, motor function) and job factors (preparation, self-employment).

Conclusions:

• Distinct disability phenotypes exist and impact accommodation needs.
• Employee and job characteristics are key determinants of accommodation use.
• A holistic approach considering co-occurring conditions and contextual factors is vital for effective job accommodation support.