Application of the behavioral model of service utilization to predicting factors associated with vocational rehabilitation use among a sample of Latino men with HIV/AIDS in New York State

Effective vocational rehabilitation services play a critical role in improving the economic wellbeing and quality of life of many people with disabilities, yet little is known about the factors that predict the use of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services among ethnic minority groups in the United States. This study applies the Andersen Behavioral Model of Service Utilization as a theoretical framework to identify predisposing (sexual orientation, ethnicity, racial identification), enabling (poverty, knowledge of vocational rehabilitation, receipt of public benefits), and need (health perception, confidence with job seeking, confidence with job maintenance) variables to predict the factors associated with the use of vocational rehabilitation services among a sample of 168 Latino men with HIV/AIDS from New York State. Respondents completed the National Working Positive Coalition - Vocational Development and Employment Needs Survey and key predictor variables were analyzed using a hierarchical logistic regression. Puerto Rican ethnicity (p < 0.01), having knowledge of VR (p < 0.001), and having received public benefits (p = 0.04) increased odds of VR use. As confidence in ability to maintain a job increased, so did odds of VR use (p = 0.01). Study limitations, practical implications, and future research recommendations are included.