Previous Job and Health at the Age of 70

Abstract

The influence of previous job on health at the age of 70 has been investigated in two representative contrast groups belonging to the population study "70-year-olds in Gothenburg". Anamnestic information, clinical and laboratory data were compared in probands with sedentary work and with arduous manual work. An increased incidence of traumatic injury and an inability to hear whispering at a distance of 5 meters were observed among the heavy workers. In this group, there was also a statistically significantly increased frequency of cyanosis, dyspnea, and post-inflammatory sequelae found on X-ray examination, even if an association between facial cyanosis and exposure to wide ranging atmospheric temperatures and ultraviolet irradiation must be considered. Although the blood pressure levels were almost identical the comparison between the two contrast groups showed an increased incidence of hypertension configuration of the heart and an elongation of the aorta among the manual workers. Thus, the main differences indicated that arduous work was associated with increased risk of traumatic injury, impaired hearing and a certain pulmonary dysfunction, whereas no difference was found in the prevalence of circulatory diseases and diseases of the back and peripheral joints, for example. A very generalized conclusion might be that in the group of elderly people having survived to the age of 70 previous job had not markedly influenced their state of health.

Mental disorder at seventy in relation to social factors and attitudes during life

“…and an arduous job at 45 may be related to the fact that probands who had had this kind of job had an increased frequency of cyanosis and dyspnoea (29), symptoms which correlated with mental disorder. The association in men of discrepancies between vocational education and social class in middle life and mental disorder at the age of 70 can be interpreted as a downward social drift, possibly due to a mental disorder that was still apparent at 70; similarly, low vocational education and belonging to the middle or upper class in middle life indicated an upward social drift, and a mental strength which was retained at 70.…”

What is the most important determinant of cardiometabolic risk in 60–65-year-old subjects: physical activity-related behaviours, overall energy expenditure or occupational status? A cross-sectional study in three populations with different employment status in Poland

“…The prolonged working time of middle-aged men, especially those with current cardiovascular disease, can cause the progression of carotid atherosclerosis 13. There is some evidence that blue-collar work may be related to greater occurrence of increased BP than white-collar work,14 15 even after adjustment for age, obesity or self-reported alcohol consumption 16. Furthermore, studies on some areas of work highlight the impact of job strain on arterial hypertension (HA) 17.…”