COVID-19 has damaged the global economy and global public health systems. People with a disability are more likely to suffer severe cases of the disease.
Experts claim in this particular issue of the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation that career rehabilitation across the key living standards of health, work and education must focus on access to technology and employment at home and ensure that people with disabilities are prepared for the new global workplace.
To date, 500,000 Americans who have received COVID-19 have died, leaving it the leading cause of death in the United States with more than 2.4 million deaths worldwide.
The pandemic has disproportionately affected people with certain disabilities, particularly those with multiple disabilities, and by race / ethnicity, age, socio-economic status and gender.
They are more likely to get COVID-19 than the general population and more likely to get severe or fatal symptoms. They are also affected by the changes in the workplace.
This special journal highlights research and scholarship addressing the significant impact of COVID-19 pandemic disease and its aftermath on the disability community and rehabilitation professionals. It is edited by guests by Phillip D. Rumrill, Jr., Ph.D., CRC, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY; Lynn C. Koch, Ph.D., CRC, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR; and David R. Strauser, Ph.D., University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL.
In the United States, all non-terminated workers began working remotely from home in March 2020. However, there were a number of barriers to people with a developmental disability who had employed in community jobs during this period.
Most of these people work in entry-level occupations such as restaurant and retail jobs, and these were some of the first businesses to close their doors during the pandemic. This population was more likely to be unemployed and unpaid early in the pandemic.
“The knowledge of disability and how work is being done in the American economy is evolving with new trends in response to the pandemic,” explained the co-guest editors. The flu pandemic has changed dramatically during the pandemic, and may change for many years to come.There are fewer jobs available due to business closures in many sectors of the economy, however, more jobs are available in other sectors such as technology, information processing, healthcare, food preparation and delivery, and manufacturing. “
“Many people with disabilities are at greater risk of developing adverse symptoms of COVID-19, and loneliness can help protect themselves from catching the virus of loneliness and despair,” said guest co – editor Phillip D. Rumrill, Jr. “Career rehabilitation responses through the pandemic need to focus on access to technology and home employment, as well as the need for people with disabilities to avoid the virus. “
Articles in this issue address issues for people with developmental disabilities across health, employment and education, such as:
- The impact of the pandemic on the employment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- COVID-era study results in high levels of health concerns and job losses among people with disabilities and other health conditions
- The employment impact of pandemic disease on Americans with multiple sclerosis and differences in employment experiences and concerns of Latinx Americans and Caucasian Americans with multiple sclerosis on the current global public health crisis.
- Understanding the impact of loneliness and social distance among working-age adults with spinal cord injuries
- Validity and scale clinical utility to measure occupational change among people with disabilities during COVID-19
- Different service patterns and employment outcomes among transition-age youth with learning difficulties who received services from the state Federal Occupational Rehabilitation program, including a discussion of the COVID effects of their outcomes
- The impact of universal design, a set of strategies that create spaces and facilities that are accessible to all
“The pandemic has activated and strengthened the technology gap, as people with disabilities often lack the technology they need, and as rehabilitation services need to be administration, ”said Lynn C. Koch, Ph.D., CRC.“ Professional rehabilitation professionals need to help consumers access unemployment benefits and other support such as food security, rent subsidy, and childcare. . Managing employment while having other family responsibilities, such as home-schooled children, has also been a challenge. “
“We expect the U.S. and global economies to decline significantly in 2021,” said David R. Strauser, Ph.D., co-editor. “Challenges will focus on ensuring that people with disabilities are prepared for the new global workplace and the changing nature of the work. “
“Occupational rehabilitation professionals have learned to deliver high-quality services to a large extent,” the Guest Editors concluded, “The next steps are to use technology to improve employee productivity, and for -recognise that in many cases work can be done remotely. In the recovery after COVID, all available workers will be needed to restart the economy. This includes people with disabilities. “