Examining the Relationship Between Productivity Loss Trajectories and Work Disability Outcomes Using the Panel Study...

To identify trajectories of productivity loss and examine the relationship between the trajectories and work disability outcomes.

Latent class growth analysis of productivity loss was estimated for the ages of 25 to 44 years in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (N = 4960). Differences among the trajectories for work disability outcomes for the ages of 25 to 64 years were estimated using logistic regression and analysis of variance.

A five-group trajectory model was identified with a no-risk, low-risk, high-risk, early-onset increasing risk, and late-onset increasing risk group. The likelihood of ever experiencing permanent disability or receiving Social Security Disability Insurance between the ages of 25 and 64 years differed across the trajectories with the early-onset and high-risk groups having the greatest likelihood and the no-risk trajectory having the lowest likelihood of work disability.

Productivity loss trajectories are highly related to work disability outcomes.