Ageing workforce
Wednesday 8 October 2025, 11.00 – 12.30 Solar
Chairs: Karin Biering, Laura Punnett
Association between employment conditions and chronic disease in a retrospective cohort in Colombia, 2010–2016
Martha Riaño-Casallas (presenter)
Francisco Palencia-Sánchez
Abstract
Objective: To analyze the association between employment conditions and the prevalence and incidence of chronic diseases among the economically active population in Colombia, a country undergoing demographic and health transitions. Material & Methods: A retrospective cohort of 5,633 individuals was built using data from three waves (2010, 2013, 2016) of the Colombian Longitudinal Survey (ELCA). Self-reported chronic illness/pain and diagnosed chronic diseases were the outcome variables. Employment conditions (contract status, labor relationship type, health insurance, wage level, economic sector, unemployment episodes) and sociodemographic variables (age, education, ethnicity, marital status, household role, socioeconomic strata, region) were analyzed. Prevalence ratios (PR) and relative risks (RR) were estimated using regression models, including gender-stratified and longitudinal analyses. Results: Lack of a work contract was significantly associated with higher prevalence of self-reported chronic illness (adjusted PR=1.18; 95% CI: 1.1–1.3) and diagnosed chronic disease (adjusted PR=1.11; 95% CI: 1.0–1.2). Individuals in non-salaried positions (self-employed or others) showed higher chronic disease prevalence (adjusted PR=1.19; 95% CI: 1.1–1.5). Gender-specific analysis confirmed this association remained stable across all rounds, with slightly stronger effects among men. Longitudinal analyses over 2010–2016 indicated a persistent increased risk of reporting chronic illness among those lacking a contract (adjusted RR=1.12; 95% CI: 1.0–1.2). The risk was also higher for self-employed individuals with respect to diagnosed chronic conditions (adjusted RR=1.16; 95% CI: 1.02–1.3).
Longitudinal changes in workability, well-being, and psychosocial factors among older workers
Matteo Bonzini (presenter)
Alice Fattori, Anna Comotti, Teresa Barnini
Abstract
Background As the workforce ages, older employees face increasing challenges in adapting to evolving job demands, including technological changes and persistent occupational risk factors such as shift work and physically demanding tasks. Workability is a reliable indicator of older workers’ capacity to meet both physical and psychological demands. ProAgeing study is a multicentric study focused on workers older the 50 years. In this work we explore longitudinal workability, health, work-related, and psychosocial factors, as well as their interplay, in a population of older workers. Methods Participants completed self-reported questionnaires at baseline and after one year, including the Work Ability Index (WAI), technostress, sleep quality, perceived stress and health, and psychosocial risk factors. Multiple linear regression was used to assess predictors of changes in WAI. Subgroup analyses explored differences across occupational roles (bank employees, administrative employees, and manual workers). Results Of the 470 workers enrolled, 356 (76%) completed the follow-up. A significant decrease in average WAI score was observed over 12 months (-1.2 points, p<0.001), mainly in subscales related to work demands and physical illness. Technostress levels slightly decreased, suggesting adaptation over time. Bank employees showed less favorable trends than manual workers, suggesting that digitalization and higher job demands significantly affected employees’ well-being, particularly older workers. Improvement in perceived health and reduced stress mostly contributed to enhance workability. Conclusion These findings suggest the need for targeted interventions to improve health and reduce stress for ageing workers in order to support their well-being and consequently their workability.
Physical workload and working life expectancy and working years lost in Sweden
Melody Almroth (presenter)
Melody Almroth, Daniel Falkstedt, Kuan-Yu Pan, Katarina-Kjellberg, , Tomas Hemmingsson, Jacob Pedersen
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of occupational heavy physical workload on life-course labor market participation expressed by working life expectancy and working years lost among men and women in Sweden. Material and Methods: Data from the SWIP (Swedish Work, Illness, and labor market Participation) cohort of the registered Swedish population in 2005 born from 1945 to 1975 were utilized (circa three million individuals). The multi-state Estimated Labor Market Affiliation (ELMA) method was used to estimate working life expectancy and working years lost due to unemployment, sickness absence due to musculoskeletal diagnoses, sickness absence due to other causes, other time outside of work, disability pension, early old-age pension, and death over a 15-year period (2006-2020), while adjusting for confounders. Physical workload was assessed through a job exposure matrix (JEM). Results: We found that men and women with low occupational physical workload have a longer working life expectancy (26.86 years for men and 25.77 years for women at age 30) compared to those in medium (24.29 years for men and 22.65 years for women at age 30) or high levels (24.50 years for men and 22.54 years for women at age 30) of physical workload. Those in high physical workload jobs lost more working time to musculoskeletal-related sickness absence, sickness absence due to other causes, unemployment, and death, while those in medium physical workload jobs lost more time due to disability pension and early old age pension. Conclusion: That those in low physical workload jobs could expect a longer working life while those with medium and high levels of physical workload could expect a similar length of working life indicates that any elevated level of physical workload can reduce labor market participation. Funding: The Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life, and Welfare supported this research (Forte 2021-01548 and 2023-01561).
The impact of overall and task-specific physical demands on Dutch firefighters’ sustainable employability over time
Linda van Delden (presenter)
Nicole Jansen, Lieze Poezen, Ludovic van Amelsvoort, Jos Slangen, IJmert Kant
Abstract
Objective: Firefighting is widely recognized as a physically demanding occupation, with growing awareness of its mental and emotional challenges. The SEmFire Cohort Study was initiated to investigate the relationship between work demands and sustainable employability (SE) among Dutch firefighters. The present study focuses on the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between overall and task-specific physical demands and SE indicators. Materials and Methods: We used questionnaire data from baseline and one-year follow-up assessments of 1,371 Dutch career firefighters. SE was evaluated using nine indicators across the domains of health, well-being, and employability: perceived health status, work ability, need for recovery, fatigue, job satisfaction, motivation to work, perceived employability, skill-gap, and job performance. Independent variables included perceived overall and task-specific physical demands. Multiple logistic regression models were applied, with adjustments for personal, occupational and health-related factors, also examining the role of mental and emotional demands. Results: Significant cross-sectional associations were observed between both overall and task-specific physical demands and SE indicators across all three domains. Firefighters reporting high physical demands had increased odds of negative outcomes compared to those reporting low physical demands. Longitudinally, high baseline overall physical demands predicted less favourable outcomes at follow-up, particularly increased need for recovery (OR 8.45; 95% CI 1.92-37.16), prolonged fatigue (OR 2.35; 95% CI 1.02-5.42), and reduced motivation to work (OR 2.05; 95% CI 1.14-3.68). Conclusion: Physical work demands adversely affect multiple dimensions of SE over time. Future research should further explore subgroup differences and the interplay with other types of work demands to guide targeted preventive and supportive strategies in the fire service. Funding: This research was supported by the Werkgeversvereniging Samenwerkende Veiligheidsregio’s (WVSV) and School CAPHRI, Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Working life expectancy and working years lost by occupational group
Karina Undem (presenter)
Svetlana Solovieva , Damien McElvenny , Elli Hartikainen , Hanifa Bouziri , Ingrid Sivesind Mehlum (, , ), Karen Oude Hengel , Laura Salonen , Michelle Turner , Taina Leinonen , Ute Bültmann , Rachel Hasting
Abstract
Objective: Understanding differences in the length of working careers and reasons for non-employment across occupations is essential for shaping policies that promote longer working lives. This study examines differences in the expected time spent in paid employment and outside paid employment, i.e. working life expectancy (WLE) and working years lost (WYL) respectively, across occupational groups in Norway. Material and Methods: We applied a period-table approach with data from one year (2015) and used the register-based Nor-Work cohort to estimate WLE between ages 30 and 60 (i.e., time in paid employment after age 30, truncated at age 60). We calculated WYL due to unemployment, disability retirement, temporary health-related absences, and other reasons. Analyses were stratified by 16 occupational groups, selected based on previous research and classified at the 4-, 3-, or 2-digit ISCO-88 (COM) level depending on group size. Occupational codes were based on the main job held in November 2014, or from the four preceding years if the individual was not employed or occupational data were unavailable in 2014. Results: WLE between ages 30 and 60 was 22.4 years for the general population. Stratification by occupation showed that Production and operations managers had the highest WLE (28.1 years), while Labourers in mining, construction, manufacturing, and transport had the lowest (18.1 years), resulting in a 10-year difference in expected employment time. Among these labourers, WYL was distributed as follows: 3.5 years due to disability retirement, 2.8 years to unemployment, 1.9 years to temporary health-related absences, and 3.3 years to other reasons. Conclusion: These findings highlight substantial differences in WLE and WYL across occupations. Complementary analyses are underway as part of the EPHOR project, utilising cohorts from other European countries. Cross-country comparisons may help disentangle the roles of occupational factors and country-specific social and structural factors.
Working life expectancy in good and reduced workability among workers with favourable and unfavourable working conditions in the Netherlands
Maaike van der Noordt (presenter)
M. van der Noordt, G. de Boer, P.E.D Eysink
Abstract
Objective: Over the past ten years, the actual retirement age increased with over three years in the Netherlands. It is yet unknown, whether the increasing working years are accompanied by an increase in working years in good or reduced workability, or both. This study examines the trend in the ‘Working life expectancy’ (WLE) in good and reduced workability from 2010 to 2021, and examines differences among workers with favourable and unfavourable working conditions. Material and Methods: Data from the Dutch Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM) was used, which includes observations in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021. STREAM was linked to register data regarding work status from Statistics Netherlands. WLE’s were estimated in working years in good and reduced workability, using MSM and ELECT in R. Covariates included sex, educational level and working conditions. The latter concerned physical work load, job demands, emotional demands, job autonomy and social support. Results: WLE’s in both good and reduced workability increased gradually over time. There was no difference in WLE’s between men and women and educational level . Total WLE’s of workers with favourable and unfavourable working conditions were equal. However, workers with unfavourable working conditions had a higher WLE in reduced workability, and a lower WLE in good workability, compared to workers with favourable working conditions. Conclusion: The extension of working lives is accompanied by an increase in working years in both good and reduced workability. All the working conditions examined are associated with the workability of workers’ remaining working years. Alleviating unfavourable working conditions may enable workers to continue to perform their work in good workability for longer.