IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i23p12656-d692358.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Workability in the Ageing Workforce—A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Author

Listed:
  • Niels-Peter Brøchner Nygaard

    (Research Unit of Health Science, Hospital of South West Jutland, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, 6700 Esbjerg, Denmark
    Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark)

  • Gert Frank Thomsen

    (Department of Occupational Medicine, Hospital of South West Jutland, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, 6700 Esbjerg, Denmark)

  • Jesper Rasmussen

    (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark
    Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark)

  • Lars Rauff Skadhauge

    (Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
    Department of Occupational Medicine, Hospital of South West Jutland, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, 6700 Esbjerg, Denmark)

  • Bibi Gram

    (Research Unit of Health Science, Hospital of South West Jutland, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, 6700 Esbjerg, Denmark
    Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark)

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of age, musculoskeletal pain and ergonomic exposure on workability in the oldest group of workers. Methods: The study was a population based cross-sectional survey. The study population comprised citizens born between 1952–1966, living in Esbjerg municipality ultimo 2016 ( n = 23,463). A questionnaire was sent electronically or by mail. The analysis included the working population only. A stereotype logistic regression was used with the primary dependent variable being workability and independent variables included age, musculoskeletal pain, and ergonomic exposure. Results: The response rate was 58% and the data demonstrated a significant negative association between age and workability. With excellent workability as a reference, the odds for poor workability increased by 97% being 60+ y compared to 50–55 y. Both moderate intensity and severe musculoskeletal pain in the back, shoulder and knee/hip all showed significantly higher odds for poor workability. Ergonomic exposures, such as standing/walking, working with back bent or twisted and carrying or lifting had a significant negative impact on workability. Conclusion: Age, musculoskeletal pain and ergonomic exposures showed a significant negative impact on workability in the oldest group of workers and should be targeted with preventive initiatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Niels-Peter Brøchner Nygaard & Gert Frank Thomsen & Jesper Rasmussen & Lars Rauff Skadhauge & Bibi Gram, 2021. "Workability in the Ageing Workforce—A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:23:p:12656-:d:692358
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/23/12656/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/23/12656/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lars L Andersen & Thomas Clausen & Hermann Burr & Andreas Holtermann, 2012. "Threshold of Musculoskeletal Pain Intensity for Increased Risk of Long-Term Sickness Absence among Female Healthcare Workers in Eldercare," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(7), pages 1-6, July.
    2. Zwerling, C. & Sprince, N.L. & Wallace, R.B. & Davis, C.S. & Whitten, P. & Heeringa, S.G., 1996. "Risk factors for occupational injuries among older workers: An analysis of the health and retirement study," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 86(9), pages 1306-1309.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Teeraphun Kaewdok & Saowanee Norkaew & Sanpatchaya Sirisawasd & Nattagorn Choochouy, 2022. "Factors Influencing Work Ability among the Working-Age Population in Singburi Province, Thailand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-10, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Donna Brown & Jonathan Wadsworth, 2022. "Accidents will happen: (de)regulation of health and safety legislation, workplace accidents and self employment," CEP Discussion Papers dp1855, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    2. Lars Louis Andersen & Jonas Vinstrup & Ebbe Villadsen & Kenneth Jay & Markus Due Jakobsen, 2019. "Physical and Psychosocial Work Environmental Risk Factors for Back Injury among Healthcare Workers: Prospective Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-10, November.
    3. Bingke Zhu & Hao Fan & Bingbing Xie & Ran Su & Chaofeng Zhou & Jianping He, 2020. "Mapping the Scientific Research on Healthcare Workers’ Occupational Health: A Bibliometric and Social Network Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-22, April.
    4. Schimmel Hyde Jody & Stapleton David C., 2017. "Using the Health and Retirement Study for Disability Policy Research: A Review," Forum for Health Economics & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 20(2), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Joaquín Calatayud & Adrian Escriche-Escuder & Carlos Cruz-Montecinos & Lars L. Andersen & Sofía Pérez-Alenda & Ramón Aiguadé & José Casaña, 2019. "Tolerability and Muscle Activity of Core Muscle Exercises in Chronic Low-back Pain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-11, September.
    6. Kenneth Jay & Maria Kristine Friborg & Gisela Sjøgaard & Markus Due Jakobsen & Emil Sundstrup & Mikkel Brandt & Lars Louis Andersen, 2015. "The Consequence of Combined Pain and Stress on Work Ability in Female Laboratory Technicians: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Charlotte L. Brakenridge & Yee Ying Chong & Elisabeth A.H. Winkler & Nyssa T. Hadgraft & Brianna S. Fjeldsoe & Venerina Johnston & Leon M. Straker & Genevieve N. Healy & Bronwyn K. Clark, 2018. "Evaluating Short-Term Musculoskeletal Pain Changes in Desk-Based Workers Receiving a Workplace Sitting-Reduction Intervention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-12, September.
    8. Hjördís Sigursteinsdóttir & Hafdís Skúladóttir & Thórey Agnarsdóttir & Sigrídur Halldórsdóttir, 2020. "Stressful Factors in the Working Environment, Lack of Adequate Sleep, and Musculoskeletal Pain among Nursing Unit Managers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-12, January.
    9. Jeppe ZN Ajslev & Jeppe L Møller & Roger Persson & Lars L Andersen, 2017. "Trading health for money: agential struggles in the (re)configuration of subjectivity, the body and pain among construction workers," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 31(6), pages 887-903, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:23:p:12656-:d:692358. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.