Adele Crudden

Predictors of employer attitudes toward people who are blind or visually impaired as employees

BACKGROUND: Negative employer attitudes are often identified as the biggest challenge to employment faced by people who are blind or visually impaired, yet limited research has been conducted in this area. Little is known about the factors that predict employer attitudes toward this population. OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between employer attitudes toward blind and visually impaired people as employees and knowledge about how they can perform specific job tasks (i.e., utilizing job accommodations/assistive technology) in a multivariate model. METHODS: Employers in four states completed a telephone survey that included instruments to measure attitudes and knowledge. The sample came from two sources: a randomly identified list of employers in the four states and employer contacts of vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies in two of the states. Data for the multiple regression analyses was available from 181 employers. RESULTS: Three variables significantly predicted employer attitudes: having hired someone who was blind or visually impaired, having communicated with the state VR agency, and knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the importance of VR agency personnel having meaningful interactions with employers. Two potential focus areas of these interactions are increasing knowledge about job accommodations that can enable blind or visually impaired people to perform necessary job tasks and on-the-job training experiences.

Use of the Internet by Informal Caregivers Assisting People with Multiple Sclerosis

The Internet is used to help informal caregivers provide assistance to people with chronic illness and disability. We identified factors associated with Internet use by informal caregivers assisting people with multiple sclerosis (MS) using a logistic regression model. Duration of MS in the person receiving care and caregiver age predicted lower Internet use. More hours per week providing care and higher caregiver educational level increased odds of Internet use. The Internet can be a low-cost service delivery option to provide education and support to caregivers assisting people with MS.

Transportation Self-Efficacy and Social Problem-Solving of Persons Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

ABSTRACT Social problem-solving skills and transportation self-efficacy were assessed for 48 vocational rehabilitation consumers with visual disabilities who required assistance securing work transportation. Social problem solving was at the upper end of the normed average; transportation self-efficacy averaged 101.5 out of 140. Level of vision loss was not associated with score differences; urban residence related to slightly higher self-efficacy than suburban or rural residency. Participants appeared to have the skills necessary to secure employment transportation, but were less confident about transportation-seeking activities that required more initiative of social interaction. Training and information might help consumers gain confidence in these tasks and increase viable transportation options.

Assessments of Nursing Home Guidelines for Quality of Care Provided to Residents With Multiple Sclerosis

This study assessed the opinions of nursing directors about quality guidelines developed by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) to assist with the care of nursing home residents with multiple sclerosis (MS). Data were collected in a survey of nursing directors at 800 nursing facilities, with 64 nursing directors participating (8.2% response rate). Participating nursing facilities are similar to other nursing homes for facility characteristics and the number of MS residents receiving care. Large majorities of participants thought these NMSS guidelines were important to the development of care plans and staff training. However, most nursing directors were unaware of these guidelines.

Availability of Mental Health Services for Individuals Who Are Deaf or Deaf-Blind

ABSTRACT A survey of state mental health agencies found that a majority have no specific policy or procedure regarding how to provide mental health services to persons who are deaf or who are deaf-blind. Agency representatives report that staff lack knowledge of how to provide mental health services to persons who are deaf-blind and the agencies lack qualified interpreters. They recommend training for social workers and counselors to address best practices in working with people who are deaf-blind concerning communication methods and strategies, physical interaction, cultural issues, everyday life, sensory deprivation, ethics, use of an interpreter, and other general issues.