Abstract: ObjectiveTo explore the rate of return to work among a cohort of spinal cord injury (SCI) who were at least 18 months post injury and some psychosocial factors contributing to return to work. MethodsA convenient sampling method was adopted and total 161 subjects were involved. The demographic characteristic and psychosocial variable were collected by 6 self-reported questionnaires: World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule Ⅱ, Acceptance of Disability Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Short Depression Scale, Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Self-administered, telephone and face-to-face interview were the manners to capture data. ResultsThe return to work rate is 31%. The result generated from Logistic regression showed that the type of SCI (paraplegia or quadriplegia) （OR=4.397）, acceptance of disability (OR=0.979), disability assessment level (OR=0.948), and the impact of belief to activities of daily living (OR=0.681) were the contributors for successful return to work. ConclusionFor those who suffering from SCI after 18 months, both psychosocial adjustment factors and physical functioning may have the great impacts for the outcomes of return to work rather than that of external factors, such as social supports.

Key words: spinal cord injury, return to work, occupational rehabilitation