Aging, Work, life-style and Work Ability among Finnish Municipal Workers in 1981-1992

Objectives This study was designed to explain changes in work ability through occupational and life-style factors. Methods Work ability was measured by an index describing workers' health resources in regard to their work demands. The work factors mainly included physical and mental demands, so...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health Environment ＆ Health, 1997-01, Vol.23 (1), p.58-65
Main Authors: Tuomi, Kaija, Ilmarinen, Juhani, Martikainen, Rami, Aalto, Lea, Klockars, Matti
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aging - psychology
Ambiguity
Epidemiology
Exercise
Female
Finland
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Individuality
Job Satisfaction
Leisure time
Life Style
Local Government
Logistic regression
Male
Middle Aged
Older adults
Physical Fitness - psychology
Posture
Regression analysis
Social Environment
Work Capacity Evaluation
Work environments
Workload - psychology
Workrooms
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Summary:Objectives This study was designed to explain changes in work ability through occupational and life-style factors. Methods Work ability was measured by an index describing workers' health resources in regard to their work demands. The work factors mainly included physical and mental demands, social organization and the physical work environment. The life-style factors covered smoking, alcohol consumption, and leisure-time physical exercise. The first questionnaire study was done in 1981 and it was repeated in 1992. The subjects (N = 818) were workers in the 44-to 51-year-old age group in the beginning of the study who were active during the entire follow-up. The improvement and, correspondingly, the decline in work ability were analyzed by logistic regression models. Results Both the improvement and the decline in work ability were associated more strongly with changes in work and life-style during the follow-up than with their initial variation. The model for improved work ability included improvement of the supervisor's attitude, decreased repetitive movements at work, and increased amount of vigorous leisure-time physical exercise. Deterioration in work ability was explained by a model which included a decrease in recognition and esteem at work, decrease in workroom conditions, increase in standing at work, and decrease in vigorous leisure-time physical exercise. Conclusions Social relations at work can promote or impair the work ability of elderly workers. Although the work ability of elderly workers generally declined with aging, both older and younger workers were also able to improve their work ability.
ISSN:0355-3140
1795-990X