Elderly people, labor market, ageism, and worker health: scope review

Abstract

Objective To characterize the knowledge that relates aging, work, ageism, and actions in worker health through a scope review. Method Based on a guiding question and search criteria, a selection of papers was conducted between April and June 2023 in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO), Web of Science, Scopus, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), and PUBMED databases. Out of a total of 1,745 productions found, 26 papers met the eligibility criteria, all of which were published in the last 10 years. Results From the analysis, two categories emerged for discussion: the impacts of ageism on worker health and actions for the health of elderly people in work environments. The main measures found to reduce ageism in work environments include the presence of a health team in workplaces that lead to illness and the promotion of education in gerontology for workers. Conclusion The incipiency of studies on the aging of the worker was observed, as well as the recognition of the most common diseases among elderly people who work and the professions in which they are most vulnerable to ageism. Further investigations may provide insights for the promotion of policies attentive to elderly people in the workforce and the development of a generational organizational culture.