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Table 3 Comparison of work capabilities between workers with MS and workers from the general population

From: The capability set for work – correlates of sustainable employability in workers with multiple sclerosis

 

Workers with MS (N = 163)

General working population (N = 163)

Test statistics

Work capabilities

%

Mean

Median

IQR

Min-max

%

Mean

Median

IQR

Min-max

X2

U

p

i. Use of knowledge and skills in your work

 A. Importance

 

4.6

5.0

1

3–5

 

4.3

4.0

1

2–5

 

9823.0

< 0.001*

 B. Opportunities

 

4.4

4.0

1

2–5

 

3.8

4.0

0

1–5

 

22062.0

< 0.001*

 C. Able to achieve

 

4.3

4.0

1

1–5

 

3.9

4.0

1

1–5

 

23190.0

< 0.001*

 Included in capability set (in %)

85%

    

67%

    

14.9

 

< 0.001*

ii. Development of knowledge and skills in your work

 A. Importance

 

4.2

4.0

1

1–5

 

4.1

4.0

1

1–5

 

11637.5

0.42

 B. Opportunities

 

3.9

4.0

0

1–5

 

3.5

4.0

1

1–5

 

9802.5

< 0.001*

 C. Able to achieve

 

3.7

4.0

1

1–5

 

3.4

4.0

1

1–5

 

11511.0

0.33

 Included in capability set (in %)

57%

    

49%

    

2.6

 

0.11

iii. Involvement in important decisions

 A. Importance

 

4.3

4.0

1

2–5

 

3.8

4.0

0

1–5

 

9066.5

< 0.001*

 B. Opportunities

 

3.9

4.0

2

2–5

 

3.3

3.0

1

1–5

 

8654.5

< 0.001*

 C. Able to achieve

 

3.8

4.0

1

2–5

 

3.3

3.0

1

1–5

 

9136.5

< 0.001*

 Included in capability set (in %)

61%

    

39%

    

15.9

 

< 0.001*

iv. Building and maintaining meaningful contacts at work

 A. Importance

 

4.4

4.0

1

1–5

 

4.1

4.0

1

2–5

 

10541.5

< 0.001*

 B. Opportunities

 

4.2

4.0

1

1–5

 

3.9

4.0

0

1–5

 

10433.0

< 0.001*

 C. Able to achieve

 

4.1

4.0

1

1–5

 

3.8

4.0

1

2–5

 

10759.0

0.001*

 Included in capability set (in %)

82%

    

68%

    

8.7

 

0.003

v. Setting your own goals in your work

 A. Importance

 

4.1

4.0

1

2–5

 

3.9

4.0

1

1–5

 

10734.0

0.005

 B. Opportunities

 

3.9

4.0

1

2–5

 

3.6

4.0

1

1–5

 

10827.0

0.007

 C. Able to achieve

 

3.8

4.0

1

2–5

 

3.6

4.0

1

1–5

 

11152.0

0.03

 Included in capability set (in %)

63%

    

54%

    

2.5

 

0.11

vi. Having a good income

 A. Importance

 

4.1

4.0

1

1–5

 

4.0

4.0

0

2–5

 

12105.0

0.41

 B. Opportunities

 

3.9

4.0

1

2–5

 

3.3

3.0

1

1–5

 

8276.5

< 0.001*

 C. Able to achieve

 

3.8

4.0

1

2–5

 

3.2

3.0

1

1–5

 

8092.0

< 0.001*

 Included in capability set (in %)

62%

    

39%

    

16.7

 

< 0.001*

vii. Contributing to something valuable in your work

 A. Importance

 

4.3

4.0

1

3–5

 

4.0

4.0

1

1–5

 

9733.5

< 0.001*

 B. Opportunities

 

4.1

4.0

1

2–5

 

3.6

4.0

1

1–5

 

8467.5

< 0.001*

 C. Able to achieve

 

3.9

4.0

2

2–5

 

3.6

4.0

1

1–5

 

9660.0

< 0.001*

 Included in capability set (in %)

71%

    

54%

    

9.1

 

0.002*

Capability set

 

4.8

5.0

3

0–7

 

3.7

4.0

4

0–7

 

9649.0

< 0.001*

Overall item: Altogether, I think I have sufficient opportunities to continue to work.

 

4.3

4.0

1

2–5

 

3.8

4.0

0

1–5

 

8476.0

< 0.001*

  1. Note: IQR Inter Quartile Range. Although all data are non-parametric, mean scores are displayed to further clarify the distribution of the data
  2. *Bonferroni corrected p values ≤ 0.002 were considered significant