Educational differences in the influence of health on early work exit among older workers

Sascha De Breij; Jana Mäcken; Jeevitha Yogachandiran Qvist; Daniel Holman; Moritz Hess; Martijn Huisman; Dorly J H Deeg

doi:10.1136/oemed-2019-106253

Educational differences in the influence of health on early work exit among older workers

Sascha De Breij, Jana Mäcken, Jeevitha Yogachandiran Qvist, Daniel Holman, Moritz Hess, Martijn Huisman, Dorly J H Deeg

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Previous research has shown that poor physical and mental health are important risk factors for early work exit. We examined potential differences in this association in older workers (50+) across educational levels.

METHODS: Coordinated analyses were carried out in longitudinal data sets from four European countries: the Netherlands (Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam), Denmark (Danish Longitudinal Study of Ageing), England (English Longitudinal Study of Ageing) and Germany (German Ageing Survey). The effect of poor self-rated health (SRH), functional limitations and depression on different types of early work exit (early retirement, economic inactivity, disability and unemployment) was examined using Cox regression analysis. We examined educational differences in these effects by testing interaction terms.

RESULTS: Poor physical and mental health were more common among the lower educated. Poor SRH, functional limitations, and depression were all associated with a higher risk of early work exit. These health effects were strongest for the disability exit routes (poor SRH: HRs 5.77 to 8.14; functional limitations: HRs 6.65 to 10.42; depression: HRs 3.30 to 5.56). In the Netherlands (functional limitations) and England (functional limitations and SRH), effects were stronger in the lower educated.

CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of health problems, that is, poor SRH, functional limitations and depression, was higher in the lower educated workers. All three health indicators increase the risk of early work exit. In some countries, health effects on early exit were stronger in the lower educated. Thus, lower educated older workers are an important target group for health policy and intervention.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	568-575
Number of pages	8
Journal	Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Volume	77
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2019-106253
Publication status	Published - Aug 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding

Funding The research was conducted within the project ’eXTenD: social inequalities in extending working lives of an ageing workforce’ in the framework of the Joint Programming initiative (JPi) ’More Years, Better lives – The Potential and challenges of Demographic change’. sDB was supported by The netherlands Organisation for health research and Development (ZonMW) (grant number 208 060 002). Dh was supported by the economic and social research council (grant number es/P000177/1).

Funders	Funder number
Economic and Social Research Council	es/P000177/1
ZonMw	208 060 002

Keywords

Depression
Disabled Persons/statistics & numerical data
Educational Status
Employment/statistics & numerical data
Europe/epidemiology
Female
Health Status
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Middle Aged
Retirement/statistics & numerical data
Risk Factors

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1136/oemed-2019-106253

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Cite this

@article{64b636062c7c4e2cbbd35bbcfbaa5c71,

title = "Educational differences in the influence of health on early work exit among older workers",

abstract = "OBJECTIVES: Previous research has shown that poor physical and mental health are important risk factors for early work exit. We examined potential differences in this association in older workers (50+) across educational levels.METHODS: Coordinated analyses were carried out in longitudinal data sets from four European countries: the Netherlands (Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam), Denmark (Danish Longitudinal Study of Ageing), England (English Longitudinal Study of Ageing) and Germany (German Ageing Survey). The effect of poor self-rated health (SRH), functional limitations and depression on different types of early work exit (early retirement, economic inactivity, disability and unemployment) was examined using Cox regression analysis. We examined educational differences in these effects by testing interaction terms.RESULTS: Poor physical and mental health were more common among the lower educated. Poor SRH, functional limitations, and depression were all associated with a higher risk of early work exit. These health effects were strongest for the disability exit routes (poor SRH: HRs 5.77 to 8.14; functional limitations: HRs 6.65 to 10.42; depression: HRs 3.30 to 5.56). In the Netherlands (functional limitations) and England (functional limitations and SRH), effects were stronger in the lower educated.CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of health problems, that is, poor SRH, functional limitations and depression, was higher in the lower educated workers. All three health indicators increase the risk of early work exit. In some countries, health effects on early exit were stronger in the lower educated. Thus, lower educated older workers are an important target group for health policy and intervention.",

keywords = "Depression, Disabled Persons/statistics & numerical data, Educational Status, Employment/statistics & numerical data, Europe/epidemiology, Female, Health Status, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Retirement/statistics & numerical data, Risk Factors",

author = "{De Breij}, Sascha and Jana M{\"a}cken and Qvist, {Jeevitha Yogachandiran} and Daniel Holman and Moritz Hess and Martijn Huisman and Deeg, {Dorly J H}",

note = "{\textcopyright} Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.",

year = "2020",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1136/oemed-2019-106253",

language = "English",

volume = "77",

pages = "568--575",

journal = "Occupational and Environmental Medicine",

issn = "1351-0711",

publisher = "BMJ Publishing Group",

number = "8",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Educational differences in the influence of health on early work exit among older workers

AU - De Breij, Sascha

AU - Mäcken, Jana

AU - Qvist, Jeevitha Yogachandiran

AU - Holman, Daniel

AU - Hess, Moritz

AU - Huisman, Martijn

AU - Deeg, Dorly J H

N1 - © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

PY - 2020/8

Y1 - 2020/8

N2 - OBJECTIVES: Previous research has shown that poor physical and mental health are important risk factors for early work exit. We examined potential differences in this association in older workers (50+) across educational levels.METHODS: Coordinated analyses were carried out in longitudinal data sets from four European countries: the Netherlands (Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam), Denmark (Danish Longitudinal Study of Ageing), England (English Longitudinal Study of Ageing) and Germany (German Ageing Survey). The effect of poor self-rated health (SRH), functional limitations and depression on different types of early work exit (early retirement, economic inactivity, disability and unemployment) was examined using Cox regression analysis. We examined educational differences in these effects by testing interaction terms.RESULTS: Poor physical and mental health were more common among the lower educated. Poor SRH, functional limitations, and depression were all associated with a higher risk of early work exit. These health effects were strongest for the disability exit routes (poor SRH: HRs 5.77 to 8.14; functional limitations: HRs 6.65 to 10.42; depression: HRs 3.30 to 5.56). In the Netherlands (functional limitations) and England (functional limitations and SRH), effects were stronger in the lower educated.CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of health problems, that is, poor SRH, functional limitations and depression, was higher in the lower educated workers. All three health indicators increase the risk of early work exit. In some countries, health effects on early exit were stronger in the lower educated. Thus, lower educated older workers are an important target group for health policy and intervention.

AB - OBJECTIVES: Previous research has shown that poor physical and mental health are important risk factors for early work exit. We examined potential differences in this association in older workers (50+) across educational levels.METHODS: Coordinated analyses were carried out in longitudinal data sets from four European countries: the Netherlands (Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam), Denmark (Danish Longitudinal Study of Ageing), England (English Longitudinal Study of Ageing) and Germany (German Ageing Survey). The effect of poor self-rated health (SRH), functional limitations and depression on different types of early work exit (early retirement, economic inactivity, disability and unemployment) was examined using Cox regression analysis. We examined educational differences in these effects by testing interaction terms.RESULTS: Poor physical and mental health were more common among the lower educated. Poor SRH, functional limitations, and depression were all associated with a higher risk of early work exit. These health effects were strongest for the disability exit routes (poor SRH: HRs 5.77 to 8.14; functional limitations: HRs 6.65 to 10.42; depression: HRs 3.30 to 5.56). In the Netherlands (functional limitations) and England (functional limitations and SRH), effects were stronger in the lower educated.CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of health problems, that is, poor SRH, functional limitations and depression, was higher in the lower educated workers. All three health indicators increase the risk of early work exit. In some countries, health effects on early exit were stronger in the lower educated. Thus, lower educated older workers are an important target group for health policy and intervention.

KW - Depression

KW - Disabled Persons/statistics & numerical data

KW - Educational Status

KW - Employment/statistics & numerical data

KW - Europe/epidemiology

KW - Female

KW - Health Status

KW - Humans

KW - Longitudinal Studies

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Retirement/statistics & numerical data

KW - Risk Factors

U2 - 10.1136/oemed-2019-106253

DO - 10.1136/oemed-2019-106253

M3 - Article

C2 - 32269132

SN - 1351-0711

VL - 77

SP - 568

EP - 575

JO - Occupational and Environmental Medicine

JF - Occupational and Environmental Medicine

IS - 8

ER -

Educational differences in the influence of health on early work exit among older workers

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Persistent URL (handle)

Fingerprint

Cite this