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Physical Work Exposures of Older Workers: Does Measurement Make a Difference?
Theresa Andrasfay1, Anne R Pebley2, Noreen Goldman3
1Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Work, Aging and Retirement
|April 14, 2023
Summary
Physically demanding work impacts long-term health, especially for disadvantaged groups. Occupational Information Network (O*NET) and Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data show comparable results on work exposures and functional limitations.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Sociology of Health and Illness
- Gerontology
Background:
- Physically demanding work at later ages is linked to health inequalities, particularly among disadvantaged populations.
- Previous research often relied on Occupational Information Network (O*NET) data for occupational exposures, with limited comparison to survey reports.
- Understanding the comparability of O*NET and survey data is crucial for accurate analysis of work conditions, socioeconomic status, and health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare occupational exposure measurements of physical demands between the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and O*NET.
- To assess the consistency of these measures in identifying disparities across sex, race/ethnicity, and education.
- To evaluate how these different measures predict the accumulation of functional limitations.
Main Methods:
- Compared general physical activity, lifting/handling frequency, and stooping postures using HRS (N=16,683) and O*NET data.
- Calculated Pearson correlations between corresponding HRS and O*NET items.
- Utilized random effects Poisson models to link physical work exposures (PWEs) to functional limitations.
Main Results:
- Pearson correlations between HRS and O*NET measures ranged from weak to strong, with general physical activity showing the largest correlation.
- Both HRS and O*NET measures indicated similar disparities in exposure to physically strenuous work based on sex, race/ethnicity, and education.
- Comparable associations were found between both HRS and O*NET measures of physical demands and the accumulation of functional limitations.
Conclusions:
- O*NET occupational characteristics and HRS respondent reports provide comparable measures of physical work exposures.
- Both data sources reveal similar socioeconomic and demographic disparities in physically demanding jobs.
- These findings support the use of O*NET data in understanding the relationship between strenuous work and long-term physical functioning declines.
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