Employment outcomes and experiences of people with seeing disability in Canada: An analysis of the Canadian Survey on Disability 2017

Abstract

Background Many individuals with disabilities face barriers to meaningful employment. Legislation has been put in place to ensure employment equity for individuals with disabilities in Canada. However, little is known about the employment profile and experiences of people with seeing disabilities. Objectives The objectives of our research study were to explore the employment rates of people with seeing disabilities in Canada, the factors associated with being employed, and supports and barriers that affect their work participation. Methods We used the nationally representative data from the Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD) 2017, collected by Statistics Canada. The CSD is a national cross-sectional survey of Canadians 15 years of age and above who face a functional limitation due to a health-related condition, representing more than 6 million (n = 6,246,640) Canadians. Our analyses focused on people who reported having a seeing disability. A subset of the complete dataset was created, focusing on individuals with a seeing disability. Weighted descriptive analyses were performed using SPSS. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted for individuals between 25–64 years of age to identify predictors of employment. Results Out of the estimated 892,220 working-age adults (25–64 years) with a seeing disability who were represented by the survey, 54% were employed, 6% were unemployed and 40% were not in the labour force. Early onset of seeing disability (OR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.32–1.35), less severe seeing disability (OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.49–1.53), education above high school (OR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.97–2.02) and daily use of the internet (OR: 2.46; 95% CI: 2.41–2.51) were positively related with employment. The top three employment accommodations that were needed and were made available included: modified work hours (45%); work from home (38.5%) and a modified workstation (37%). The top three needed but least available accommodations were technical aids (14%), communication aids (22%) and a computer with specialized software or adaptation (27%). Overall, 26% reported that an accommodation was required but was not made available by the employer. While 75% of individuals with a seeing disability were out of the labour force due to their condition, the remaining identified barriers that prevented them from working which included (top 3): (i) too few jobs available (20%); (ii) inadequate training/experience (19%), (iii) past attempts at finding employment were unsuccessful (19%). Conclusion Adults with seeing disability in Canada experience lower labour force participation than the general population. Rigorous programs are required to assist them with the job search, job retraining and workplace accommodations. It is important for governments to improve efforts towards inclusive education and develop strategies that promote digital literacy of employees and job seekers with visual impairments. Although accessibility legislations have been put in place, programs should be established that provide accessibility solutions for various employers, enabling them to hire individuals with different abilities.

Intersection of the iADH undergraduate curriculum in special care dentistry and the association of Canadian faculties of dentistry competencies framework

“…The 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability estimated that there were 6.2 million individuals with disability in Canada, up from 3.8 million in 2012 4,5 . The number of individuals with disability rose from 13.7% of the Canadian Population in 2012 to 28.1% of the population in 2017, a fact attributed to both increased life expectancy as well as a greater awareness and documentation of disabilities in Canada 4,5 .…”

“…4,5 The number of individuals with disability rose from 13.7% of the Canadian Population in 2012 to 28.1% of the population in 2017, a fact attributed to both increased life expectancy as well as a greater awareness and documentation of disabilities in Canada. 4,5 These trends are not limited to Canada and have been the basis for the suggestion that graduating dentists in the 21 st century need to be able to provide dental care to individuals with special healthcare needs. 2,6,7 Given that every dental practitioner will encounter individuals with special health care needs in their practice, it has been suggested that rather than a niche specialty, Special Care Dentistry (SCD) should be an integral part of the training of all dentists.…”

“…[1][2][3] The 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability estimated that there were 6.2 million individuals with disability in Canada, up from 3.8 million in 2012. 4,5 The number of individuals with disability rose from 13.7% of the Canadian Population in 2012 to 28.1% of the population in 2017, a fact attributed to both increased life expectancy as well as a greater awareness and documentation of disabilities in Canada. 4,5 These trends are not limited to Canada and have been the basis for the suggestion that graduating dentists in the 21 st century need to be able to provide dental care to individuals with special healthcare needs.…”

Influence of Equal Opportunity on Employment of People with Disabilities in Ghana

“…The ADA has the potential to affect the lives of substantial numbers of people. One estimate places the number of people with disabilities at 43 million (Gupta, 2021), while another based on category or type of impairment suggests there are approximately 33 million people with sensory, motor, or cognitive disabilities severe enough to interfere with work or otherwise constitute a serious disability (Wong, 2021). These studies also cite 14 million adults (about 7% of the population) who have fourth grade or lower reading skills, which seriously impairs their capability for doing many kinds of jobs, especially those in information occupations.…”

Barriers to Work, Psychosocial Resources, and Work-Family Balance: Exploring Lived Experiences of Persons with Disabilities in Ghana

“…Although the rate of unemployment among PWD is lower in industrialized nations, the estimated figure is between 50 and 70 percent (UN 2007). Several factors including stigma and discrimination, prejudicial attitudes, unfair employment practices, and physical barriers such as spatial and transport challenges have been implicated in the low employment rate of PWD (Araten-Bergman 2016; Gupta, Sukhai, and Wittich 2021; Naami, Hayashi, and Liese 2012; Van Laer, Jammaers, and Hoeven 2022). Low involvement of PWD in the labor market negatively impacts their well-being (Konrad et al 2012) and has adverse economic implications due to reduced productivity (Farrell and Krahn 2014; Vornholt et al 2018).…”