The Role of Late-Life Work Among Widowed Adults in Korea: A Buffer or Burden for Widow(er)s’ Health?

Abstract

To examine the role of work in the bereavement process, we focused on health changes among widowed adults. We analyzed a sample of 518 adults (aged 52–95) from the Korean Retirement and Income Study (2011–2019) who experienced spousal loss during the study period. The widowed participants provided data on their employment status and perceived health at both pre-loss and post-loss. Widowed participants reported worse physical and mental health after the bereavement, but the significant health deterioration was not observed among employed participants. Adjusting for pre-loss health status and other covariates, employed widow(er)s showed a smaller decrease in physical and mental health, compared to their counterparts. The effect of employment on physical health changes was more pronounced for economically vulnerable widow(er)s. Work might serve as a restoring coping strategy for widowed individuals; economic benefits from the job may also contribute to their health and well-being.