Purpose: The population of veterans experiencing traumatic amputation grows at a rate disproportionate to the general population. This study explores the current employment experience of veterans living with traumatic amputation and the relationship among demographic, health and amputation related characteristics, employment status and service utilization, and perceived barriers to employment.
Methods: Survey data from veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) were gathered on health and amputation, employment, service utilization, and perceived barriers to employment. Pearson chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests, and one-way analysis of variance were used to compare these measures between the employment categories.
Results: Education level, annual household income, and disability benefit income were significantly related to employment status. Pain was found to significantly, negatively relate to employment status. Level of amputation and prosthesis use did not relate to employment status.
Conclusions: Given the role of employment and the impact of an amputation on functional and psychosocial well-being, comprehensive supports to include pain management, exploration of one's sense of meaning and achievement, including how veterans may contribute to their community, educational or skill-based opportunities, greater education on Veteran disability benefits, support utilization, and employment options including workplace accommodations should be considered and offered to veterans in a customized manner.
Keywords: employment; traumatic amputation; unemployment; veterans.