Abstract
Employment is a key element in psychosocial functioning and an important aspect of quality of life. Adults with epilepsy have consistently been found to experience high levels of unemployment and underemployment worldwide. Compared to persons without epilepsy, relatively lower levels of employment have been reported for more than three decades despite the fact that this period has seen improvements in clinical treatment and the enactment of legislation aimed at reducing barriers to equal employment opportunities for persons with epilepsy and other disabilities. Research exploring the array of clinical and psychosocial variables that may contribute to the employment problems and barriers faced by individuals with epilepsy suggests that the disparity is not due to any single factor but is the result of a complex combination of interacting factors. This chapter reviews employment and epilepsy from an international perspective, reviewing the impact of epilepsy on employment from several perspectives. Specifically, in this chapter we review the employment situation for persons with epilepsy internationally, discuss employment barriers, explore the effectiveness of traditional and epilepsy-specific employment programs, and review relevant disability and employment law.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Society, Behaviour and Epilepsy |
| Editors | Jaya Pinikahana, Christine Walker |
| Publisher | Nova Science Publishers, Inc. |
| Pages | 93-114 |
| Number of pages | 22 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781617610011 |
| State | Published - Jan 2011 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine
- General Neuroscience