The authors reported the fact that 253 cases out of 799 cerebral palsied aged over 15 year old in Hiroshima Prefecture were employed (Jap. J. Reh. Med., Vol. 5: p. 115-120, 1968). In this report, such occupational conditions were classified in detail by use of Official Vocational Classification and discussed. The Classification used was that applied at the Japanese National Statistics, 1965.
A sharp contrast was found between two groups; cerebral palsied and a group of healthy control. The authors called attention on following four points.
1) Percentages of odd-jobbers was high in cerebral palsied. It was found 67 cases out of 253.
2) A majority of odd-jobbers had difficulties to live independently by their own income.
3) Economic independency was also difficult to establish on female cases whose jobs were dress makers, kimono makers, knitters or handikraft-women.
4) Some of severely disabled were able to keep independence of economic life. The grade of disability could not be the absolute determinant factor of independency.
As a discussion, the authors reveal two different kinds of barriers. One of them is traditional concept of occupation and the other is lack of evaluation on vocational capabilities. The importance of appropriate vocational guidance on the base of proper education, counselling, training and evaluation is stressed.