Better Mobility Is Associated With Higher Incomes and Longer Working Years Among Older Adults

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Economics
• Public Health

Background:

• Robust physical mobility is crucial for independent aging.
• Socioeconomic status impacts health, but the link between mobility and income is less understood.
• Income data availability has historically limited research on mobility-income associations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if better physical mobility correlates with higher income.
• To determine if maintaining mobility aids in sustained employment.
• To examine the association between regular exercise and long-term mobility.

Main Methods:

• Utilized longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study.
• Analyzed the relationship between mobility (6-point walking impairment index) and household income in 19,430 adults.
• Examined income, working rates, and mobility changes in relation to exercise frequency in separate cohorts.

Main Results:

• A one-level decrease in mobility was associated with a USD 3410 reduction in annual income.
• Individuals maintaining mobility had USD 6500 higher incomes and higher employment rates after 10 years.
• Weekly exercise correlated with significantly better mobility scores after 4 years.

Conclusions:

• Enhanced physical mobility is strongly associated with increased annual income.
• Interventions promoting mobility, including exercise, may yield substantial economic returns.
• Orthopaedic interventions supporting mobility could be undervalued in healthcare economics.