Citation

Scott K, Fisher GG, Barón AE, Tompa E, Stallones L, DiGuiseppi C. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 2018; 60(10): 943-953.

Affiliation

Denver Public Health, Denver Health and Hospital Authority (Scott); Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado (Fisher, Stallones); Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado (Barón); and Institute for Work & Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado (Tompa, Stallones, DiGuiseppi).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/JOM.0000000000001379

PMID

29905647

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether falls are associated with the subsequent ability to work among workers 65 years and older.

METHODS: This longitudinal cohort study followed older workers enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study. Outcomes included time to health-related work limitation and to labor force exit.

RESULTS: After adjustment multiple falls with or without a medically-treated injury were associated with time to limitation (HR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.30-2.40; HR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.26-1.73, respectively). Adjustment mitigated a crude relationship between falls and time to exit. Significant interactions suggest the relationship between falls and labor force exit depends on age, race and job demands.

CONCLUSIONS: Falls, both non-injurious and injurious, are associated with subsequent health-related work limitation among workers 65 and older. Fall prevention activities would benefit workers who want or need to keep working past age 65.

Language: en