Predictor Of Unemployment Research Articles

Work difficulties, work restrictions, and disability benefits in people with functional seizures: A survey study.

Functional seizures (FS) cause significant long-term disability and clinicians offer differing views on proper work restrictions and qualifications for disability benefits in this population. We assess the views and perspectives of experienced disability and work limitations in people living with functional seizures. Between (4/29/2020-1/13/2021) an open-access 21-item internet survey was conducted via FNDHope.org; allowing for people living with self-reported functional seizures to remark on topics of work difficulties, work restrictions, qualifications for disability benefits, and driving. Demographic information was collected, and univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to evaluate potential predictors of current employment status. One hundred eighteen (118) responses were received, of which 92 (84.4%) completed>50% of the survey; they were predominantly (92%) female. Most respondents (88%) reported some personal difficulty at work and nearly all (99%) believed that others with FS would experience difficulties in the workplace. A majority (71%) felt that work restrictions should apply to people living with active FS, at least in certain lines of work. Most (64%) felt people with FS should qualify for disability benefits; however, 35% stated work accommodations or a new job compatible with FS was more appropriate. Of those who felt people with FS should qualify for disability, 60% thought recipients should remain eligible for disability while symptomatic and 38% felt benefits should be lifelong. In univariate and multivariate logistic regressions, older age was predictive of unemployment (univariate OR 0.95±0.02, 95% CI 0.92-0.98, p-value 0.002). Our results suggest that work difficulties are common in people with FS, with older age being a predictor of unemployment. A majority of people with FS support work restrictions for those with their disorder, at least in some lines of work. In comparison to a prior study of clinicians, a higher percentage of people with FS supported work restrictions. These results may help facilitate productive discussions between people with FS, providers, and policymakers regarding appropriate work and disability limitations.

A new consensus-based unemployment indicator

ABSTRACTIn this study we present a novel approach to measure the level of consensus among agents’ expectations. The proposed framework allows us to design a positional indicator that gives the percentage of agreement between survey expectations. While other aggregation methods such as the balance, which is constructed as the difference between the percentages of respondents giving positive and negative replies, explicitly omit the neutral information, the proposed metric allows synthesizing the information coming from all response categories, including the percentage of respondents who do not expect any change. In order to assess the performance of the proposed measure of consensus, we compare its ability to track the evolution of unemployment to that of the balance in eight European countries. With this aim, we scale both measures to generate one-period ahead forecasts of the unemployment rate. We find that the consensus-based unemployment indicator outperforms the balance in all countries except Denmark and Sweden, which suggests that the level of agreement among agents’ expectations is a good predictor of unemployment.

24 Factors Affecting Return to Work: A Burn Model System National Database Investigation

Returning to work following a traumatic injury is an important milestone. Data from multiple, single-center studies suggest that most adult burn survivors return to work, but that multiple factors delay or prevent return to work (RTW) for some. The objective of this study was to compare patient and injury characteristics and employment status for working-age, adult burn survivors using a national, multi-center longitudinal database. We hypothesized that pre-injury employment and burn size (%TBSA burn) would have the greatest impact on employment status at 2 years after injury. In this IRB approved, retrospective review, group differences based on employment status post-burn were examined using descriptive statistics. Patient and injury variables were based on a review of the literature. Logistic regression models identified factors significantly associated with return to work status 24-months post-burn. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Data from 473 working-age (18–65 years) individuals were compared. The table provides logistic regression analyses for comparisons between those employed (n=303, 64%) and not employed (n=170, 36%) 24-months post-burn. The analyses determined that white, non-Hispanic participants (OR, 1.91) or those employed pre-injury (OR, 5.64) had higher odds of being employed. Older individuals (OR, 0.72), those with a pre-injury history of psychiatric treatment (OR, 0.37) or those with longer hospital lengths of stay (OR, 0.71) had lower odds of working after injury. Sex, education level, marital status, alcohol and drug abuse, insurance payer, and %TBSA burn size were not significantly associated with employment status post-burn. Pre-injury employment continues to be a significant predictor of post-burn employment. However, burn size, measured as %TBSA was not a predictor of unemployment following injury. The latter observation differs from previous single-center reports. Understanding the relative impact of patient and injury characteristics on ability to return to work is valuable for counseling burn survivors about their functional recovery and ability to live independently after injury. In practice, these findings may help with resource allocation. Impact of patient and injury characteristics on RTW at 24-months post-burn (n=473) Note: Other variables in the regression analysis included insurance payer groups besides Workers’ Compensation. *Self-reported Impact of patient and injury characteristics on RTW at 24-months post-burn (n=473) Note: Other variables in the regression analysis included insurance payer groups besides Workers’ Compensation. *Self-reported

White matter changes and social cognitive function in MS

The mechanisms and consequences of cognitive impairment in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are slowly being uncovered. Interest in this area has in part increased due to the lack of clear evidence for effective therapies.1 A separate, major motivator is that cognitive impairment is not just a predictor of unemployment but is the leading predictor of occupational disability.2 This increasing interest in cognitive function has been mirrored by a parallel increase in studies of social cognition: a collection of psychological processes that facilitate interpersonal communication and interaction by helping individuals understand how others think and feel. These abilities may influence employment, but also relationships with spouses, caregivers, friends, and family members. Social cognition is therefore potentially of particular relevance to people with MS, for whom peer support is one of the main determinants of quality of life.3 Yet there is a relative lack of research in this area, despite recent evidence that deficits in these social cognitive processes may be similar in magnitude to many of the other neurocognitive deficits that are observed in MS.4

Perceived cognitive function in coronary artery disease – An unrecognised predictor of unemployment

We aimed to assess whether perceived cognitive function influences employment and return to work in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Prospective longitudinal cohort study. Health care system of Södertälje, Stockholm County, Sweden. We included consecutive unselected patients less than 65 years of age with CAD and followed them during 2 years. Gainful employment and return to work in patients with CAD. We found that perceived cognitive function predicts both prevalence of unemployment [OR 2.06 (95% CI: 1.36-3.13); p = 0.0006] and early retirement and sick leave due to coronary artery disease [OR 1.59 (95% CI: 1.12-2.25)] both at baseline and 2 years later. Furthermore, perceived cognitive function predicted return to work after an acute coronary event [OR 2.28 (95% CI: 1.08-4.84)]. Covariates such as age, sex, prevalence and degree of angina (CCS grade), cardiovascular risk factors and events did not change the predictive power. Perceived cognitive function is a hitherto unrecognised independent predictor of unemployment, sick leave and return to work in patients with coronary artery disease. Perceived cognitive function adds a new perspective on ability to gainful employment in patients with CAD. The findings might have significance both to individual care and to society.

Parties, Administrations, and American Macroeconomic Outcomes

This study re-examines Hibbs's (1977b) findings on the impact of political party on unemployment rates for the postwar United States. With the use of data through the end of the Carter administration and slightly different methods, it is concluded that party has between one-third and one-half the impact on unemployment claimed by Hibbs. Administration is a better predictor of unemployment than is party; in particular, neither the Kennedy nor Carter administration behaved as Hibbs claims Democratic administrations should, nor did the Nixon administration behave as Hibbs claims Republican administrations should. The significance of whether administration or party is the better predictor of economic outcomes is explored.

Parties, Administrations, and American Macroeconomic Outcomes

This study re-examines Hibbs's (1977b) findings on the impact of political party on unemployment rates for the postwar United States. With the use of data through the end of the Carter administration and slightly different methods, it is concluded that party has between one-third and one-half the impact on unemployment claimed by Hibbs. Administration is a better predictor of unemployment than is party; in particular, neither the Kennedy nor Carter administration behaved as Hibbs claims Democratic administrations should, nor did the Nixon administration behave as Hibbs claims Republican administrations should. The significance of whether administration or party is the better predictor of economic outcomes is explored.