Occupational Exposures Associated with Life Expectancy without and with Disability

Abstract

Policies to extend working lives often do not take into account potentially important health inequalities arising from differences in occupational exposures. Little is known about which occupational exposures are associated with these inequalities. This study aims to examine differences in life expectancy without and with disability by occupational exposures. Longitudinal data (1992–2016) on disability and physical and psychosocial work demands and resources of 2513 (former) workers aged ≥55 years participating in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam were used. Gender specific life expectancies without and with disability by occupational exposures were calculated using multistate survival models. Women aged 55 years with high physical work demands had a lower life expectancy without disability than those with low exposure (1.02–1.57 years), whereas there was no difference for men. Men and women with high psychosocial work demands and resources had a longer life expectancy without disability than those with low exposure (1.19–2.14 years). Life expectancy with disability did not significantly differ across occupational exposures. Workers with higher psychosocial demands and resources and lower physical demands can expect to live more disability-free years. Information on occupational exposure helps to identify workers at risk for lower life expectancy, especially without disability, who may need specific support regarding their work environment.

Occupation-Based Life Expectancy: Actuarial Fairness in Determining Statutory Retirement Age

“…Considering the mean life expectancy at age 55 is larger than at age 65, this difference is comparable to the one we found at age 65. Our earlier study on work conditions and life expectancy at age 55 showed a maximum difference between unfavorable and favorable work conditions of 2.6 years for men and 2.3 for women ( de Wind et al, 2020 ). The latter are smaller than the domain differences found in the current study.…”

“…Also physical demands have been shown to be associated with increased risk of mortality ( Mikkola et al, 2019 ). In a recent study from our own group, people at age 55 who had physically strenuous jobs regarding repetitive movements and use of force had a 1.5–2.0 years shorter life expectancy than their counterparts with less strenuous jobs, and people who had jobs with a low variation in activities and low autonomy had a 1.1–2.5 years shorter life expectancy than their counterparts with jobs with high variation and autonomy ( de Wind et al, 2020 ). Working conditions may be concentrated in specific occupations, but essentially cut across occupations.…”

Impact of physical activity on disability‐free and disabled life expectancies in middle‐aged and older adults: Data from the healthy aging longitudinal study in Taiwan

“…55,[57][58][59] Research from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam suggested different life expectancy by different occupation and occupational exposures. 60,61 These studies revealed a need to provide specific support regarding the working environment, and the pension policy should be tailored according to individuals' risk of longevity. However, the WPA in our study does not correspond to occupation or occupational exposure in the previous studies.…”

“…However, motivation, financial status, and physical health were important effect modifiers 55,57–59 . Research from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam suggested different life expectancy by different occupation and occupational exposures 60,61 . These studies revealed a need to provide specific support regarding the working environment, and the pension policy should be tailored according to individuals' risk of longevity.…”

Special pension schemes for workers in arduous and hazardous jobs: Functions and conditions to ensure equal treatment

“…The sole consequence of hazardous work that is not addressed by any branch of the social insurance system is the reduction of life expectancy. There are some studies linking worker’s occupation to mortality (Johnson, Sorlie and Backlund, 1999; Katikireddi et al, 2017; Lee et al, 2016) or life expectancy (Moore and Hayward, 1990; de Wind et al, 2020; Deeg, Tavernier and de Breij, 2021). The estimates provided by these range from a maximum difference between favourable and unfavourable working conditions of around 2.5 years (de Wind et al, 2020) to 4.5 years at age 55 (Moore and Hayward, 1990), and around 3.3 years at age 65 (Deeg, Tavernier and de Breij, 2021).…”