Promoting health and productivity among ageing workers: a longitudinal study on work ability, biological and cognitive age in modern workplaces (PROAGEING study)

Abstract

Background Large changes in ageing population and in retirement age are increasing the number of older people in the workforce, raising many challenges for policymakers in promoting employment opportunities and health for older workers. In this respect, longitudinal assessments of workability, well-being perception and cognitive skills over time may allow to detect factors influencing workers’ health. Moreover, new available molecular markers permit the measurement of biological age and age-related changes. Most studies analysed one aspect at time (psychological, biological, labour productivity), without considering their interaction. Aims of the study are to evaluate the relationship between workability, cognitive skills, and biological age in a population of ageing workers; to conduct a cross-sectional analysis to assess the impact of occupational exposures on workability, cognitive skills, and biological age; to evaluate inter-individuals changes in a prospective analysis with a re-evaluation of each worker. Methods Our study plans to enrol 1000 full-time workers, aged over 50, undergoing the medical surveillance required by the current Italian Legislation. Data collection includes information about: (a) work ability and psychosocial risk factors (work ability index, HSE Management Standard-21 item, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, World Health Organisation-Five, Well-Being Index, job satisfaction, general well-being, technostress); (b) cognitive skills (Stroop Color and Word test, Simon task, Corsi’s block-tapping test, Digit span test); (c) sleep habits and psychological well-being (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test; Symptom Check List 90, Psychological Well-Being Index, Profile of Mood State, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, Brief COPE); (d) biological age (telomere length, DNA methylation) for 500 workers. All workers will repeat the evaluation after one year. Discussion This study aims to increase our knowledge about interactions between work ability, cognitive ability, well-being perception and psychological status also by including molecular markers, with a longitudinal and multidisciplinary approach. By bringing better insights into the relationship between risk factors and their impact on perceived and biological health, this study also aims at identifying possible interventions and protective measures to ensure aged workers’ well-being, consistent with all the eminent calls for actions promoted by key International and European labour organizations.

The effects of work on cognitive functions: a systematic review

“…Finally, in order to get a total picture on the impact of work-related factors on cognitive functioning, two future prospective could be: in future systematic reviews include categories excluded a priori from this research (e.g., workers exposed to chemicals/or neurotoxic substances, or physical hazard), and conduct studies with larger samples ( Bonzini et al, 2023 ) and more consistent methodologies.…”

“…All these factors, both positive and negative, may be intrinsic in different types of work and may contribute to both adequate preservation of cognitive functions and cognitive impairment. Therefore, the study of how work can have an impact on cognitive function, both in a positive way and, above all, in a preventive health perspective, in a negative way, has become a priority in the field of prevention and healthy aging, as shown by the growing interest of the European community ( Salazar-Xirinachs, 2012 ; Vendramin et al, 2012 ; Belin et al, 2016 ) and latest research on the topic ( Vives et al, 2018 ; Rinsky-Halivni et al, 2022 ; Bonzini et al, 2023 ).…”

Exploring workability in an older working population: associations with cognitive functioning, sleep quality, and technostress

“…The study was conducted in workplaces where the Occupational Medicine Unit of IRCCS Ca′ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Foundation and the Occupational Medicine Unit of University of Turin carried out the medical surveillance required by Italian Legislation in terms of occupational safety (i.e., Legislative Decree n.81/2008); we enrolled subjects employed in banking and finance sector, chemical and metal-mechanic industry to include different work environments. The detailed study protocol and the full description of questionnaires and variables were published elsewhere ( 21 ).…”