Economic downturn, health, and well-being in workers with disabilities

Abstract

This study's aim is to analyze the consequences of the deterioration of working conditions caused by the economic downturn on occupational health, well-being, perceptions, and job attitudes in workers with disabilities. A sample of 31 workers with disabilities in ordinary firms (i.e., not in protégé employment organizations) was used, with repeated measures being taken in 2013 and 2014. After identifying objective indicators and expert assessments of these workers' working conditions, we tested these workers' relationships with perceived organizational support, supervisors and coworker support, job satisfaction, intention to quit, perceived stress, burnout, and life satisfaction. Parametric and non-parametric analyses indicate that these variables are sensitive, with statistically significant differences, to the worse working conditions perceived in 2014 compared to 2013. The consequences of these results are discussed in relation to the effects of the economic downturn on the quality of working life of people with disabilities, and on the increase of discrimination towards them.