Current Research Projects

Project 3: Improved Employment Outcomes among Individuals with MS

Intervention approaches are needed to provide individualized, but empirically based treatments, and to facilitate the person's ability to manage their MS symptoms, barriers presented by such symptoms, and their health care.

Phase 1:

Analysis of five years of longitudinal data on the relationship between primary variables (disease severity, duration, relapse frequency, age, sex, etc.) and secondary conditions (pain, depression, spasticity) and employment, including interactions.

Phase 2:

Examine employment outcomes of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have been served by the State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services program or who receive rehabilitation services from other sources. This study is designed to answer research questions regarding the current state of VR services for individuals with MS, and factors affecting the organization and delivery of employment and related services to individuals with MS.

Phase 3:

Conduct follow-up surveys of people served by the MS Employment Assistance Center at Kent State University to understand outcomes of the interventions with respect to employment status.

Phase 4:

Conduct interviews to examine the experience of individuals with MS with employment, vocational rehabilitation, job accommodation, and other employment assistance.

Phase 5:

Examine employment outcomes to evaluate changes in employment status, predictors of change (including secondary conditions), and use of vocational rehabilitation and related services. This analysis will provide additional insight into employment outcomes and use of vocational rehabilitation services by people with MS.