Employment, Work Conditions &Health Among Older Workers

Wellesley College, Wellesley Hills MA

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal seeks funding for Dr. Marshall, an established investigator of employment and health among women and men ages 25 - 50, to enable Dr. Marshall to enter a new, high priority area -- work and older workers. The proposed project will: [1] identify datasets that can be used to address research questions about employment, work conditions and health of older workers; [2] explore the usefulness of existing datasets for specific secondary analyses; [3] use data from the Health & Retirement Study (HRS), and structural equation modeling, to test the reciprocal effects of health and work among older workers; and [4] design an R01 to examine these and other important questions about work and older workers. The proposed project is a pilot study for a larger research program which will potentially advance scientific knowledge about [a] the reciprocal effects of health and work; [b] the conditions under which employment has positive and negative effects on older workers' health and functioning; [c] possible mechanisms by which employment is associated with health; and [d] the relative importance of employment and other forms of productive and reproductive activity as factors in older workers' health. The knowledge gained from such a study would inform policies and practices designed to improve working conditions, productivity and well-being among older workers.