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Time away from work predicts later cognitive function: differences by activity during leave

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  • Leist, Anja K.
  • Glymour, M. Maria
  • Mackenbach, Johan P.
  • van Lenthe, Frank J.
  • Avendano, Mauricio

Abstract

We sought to examine how different activities performed during employment gaps are associated with later cognitive function and change. Five cognitive measures were used to indicate cognitive impairment of 18,259 respondents to the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (ages 50–73) in 2004/5 or 2006/7. Using complete employment histories, employment gaps of ≥6 months between ages 25 and 65 were identified. Controlling for early life socioeconomic status, school performance, and education, higher risk of cognitive impairment was associated with employment gaps described as unemployment (odds ratio [OR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.35) and sickness (OR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.52–2.09). In contrast, lower risk of cognitive impairment was associated with employment gaps described as training (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.52–1.01) or maternity leave (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.57–0.79). In longitudinal mixed effects models, training and maternity leave were associated with lower 2-year aging-related cognitive decline. Periods away from work described as unemployment or sickness are associated with lower cognitive function, whereas maternity and training leaves are associated with better late-life cognitive function. Both causation and selection mechanisms may explain these findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Leist, Anja K. & Glymour, M. Maria & Mackenbach, Johan P. & van Lenthe, Frank J. & Avendano, Mauricio, 2013. "Time away from work predicts later cognitive function: differences by activity during leave," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 51630, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:51630
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/51630/
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    Cited by:

    1. Ailshire, Jennifer & Karraker, Amelia & Clarke, Philippa, 2017. "Neighborhood social stressors, fine particulate matter air pollution, and cognitive function among older U.S. adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 56-63.
    2. Vélez-Coto, María & Rute-Pérez, Sandra & Pérez-García, Miguel & Caracuel, Alfonso, 2021. "Unemployment and general cognitive ability: A review and meta-analysis," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    3. Michele Belloni & Claudia Villosio, 2014. "Training and wages of older workers in Europe," Working Papers 2014:27, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    4. Ariane Bertogg & Anja K. Leist, 2023. "Gendered life courses and cognitive functioning in later life: the role of context-specific gender norms and lifetime employment," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 1-15, December.
    5. Belloni Michele & Brugiavini Agar & Meschi Elena & Tijdens Kea, 2016. "Measuring and Detecting Errors in Occupational Coding: an Analysis of SHARE Data," Journal of Official Statistics, Sciendo, vol. 32(4), pages 917-945, December.
    6. Taehyun Ahn & Kyong Duk Choi, 2019. "Grandparent caregiving and cognitive functioning among older people: evidence from Korea," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 553-586, June.
    7. Mine Kühn & Christian Dudel & Tobias C. Vogt & Anna Oksuzyan, 2017. "Trends in gender differences in health and mortality at working ages among West and East Germans," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2017-009, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General

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