Effects of Working Environment and Socioeconomic Status on Health Status in Elderly Workers: A Comparison with Non-Elderly Workers

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study were to compare working condition, socioeconomic status, and health status between elderly and non-elderly workers and to examine the influencing factors of health status according to age groups. METHODS: This study is a secondary analysis of data extracted from the 2014 Korean Working Conditions Survey. For the present analysis, 15,980 elderly workers over the age of 55 and 32,037 non-elderly workers under the age of 55 were selected. RESULTS: The prevalence of subjective unhealthy status and poor mental health were significantly higher among the elderly workers than the non-elderly workers. The elderly workers were more likely to have lower level of education and income than the non-elderly workers. They also reported less support from colleagues and managers, however, have more decision authority. Among the elderly workers, long working hours, awkward posture, physical environmental risks, quantitative demand, decision authority, social support, age discrimination, education level, and income level were significant predictors of subjective health status or mental health. CONCLUSION: For keeping elderly workers healthy and productive, work environment needs to become more age-friendly. An age-friendly workplace may include accommodative support, workers' participation, minimization of environment risk, etc.