Unemployment in multiple sclerosis across the ages: How factors of unemployment differ among the decades of life

Rates of unemployment in multiple sclerosis are high. Certain disease, psychological, and person-specific factors contribute to these high rates. The present study examined these factors and associated risk of unemployment by age. Participants ( n = 221) completed an online survey on employment. Participants were broken down by decade of life. Several factors predicted whether someone felt as if they needed to leave the workforce. However, the extent to which these factors contributed to unemployment risk varied by age. Interventions aimed at maintaining employment should address these factors and take into consideration one’s stage of life, disease, and career.