The Health of Older Workers – Implications for Future Labour Participation

11th Global Conference of the International Federation of Aging28 May to 1st June, 2012

Dr Jennifer BuckleyDr Lisel O’Dwyer

Professor Graeme Hugo

University of Adelaide, Australian Population and Migration Research Centre

Overview

• Rationale for the study

• Project overview

• Methods

• Baby boomers’ labour participation in context

• Health and workforce attachment

• Workplace environments

• Implications for Policy and Research

Population Ageing in Australia

Projected Population Aged Under 15 Years, Australia, 2002-2101

Projected Population Aged 65 Years and Over, Australia, 2002-

2101

Source: ABS, Catalogue No. 3222.0, 2003, p85

Rationale for the Study

• Fewer new entrants to labour market

• Increase and extend labour participation in older age groups

• Health – underpins labour market capacity

• Health research – disease/disability/burden on health system

• Work-related research – skills training and workplace management

• Need for more research on the health/work

Project Overview

• ‘Australia’s Baby Boomer Generation: Obesity and Work – Patterns, Causes and Implications’

• Key objective – explore interactions between health and work

• Aim – provide a health perspective for work-related policies on older workers

• Baby boomers– A distinct policy group– Amplify the effects of population ageing– Significant impact as they exit the workforce

• Today’s presentation – preliminary exploration of data

Methods

Labour Participation Data - Census data 1981 and 2006; ABS Labour Force Surveys

Health & Work Data - North West Adelaide Health Study (NWAHS) (n=4060)

Geographical Context

Data and Study Population

Labour Participation Data - Census data 1981 and 2006; ABS Labour Force Surveys

Health & Work Data - North West Adelaide Health Study (NWAHS) (n=4060)

Sample - Baby Boomers born 1946-1965 drawn from the NWAHS

NWAHS Data - Stage 1, 1999-2002; Stage 2, 2004-06; Stage 3, 2010 Stage 2, 2004-06 (n=1195) Baby Boomer Work Project, 2011 (BBs n=874; Gen X n=768)

Analyses• By all baby boomers • By gender• By older (1946-55) and younger (1956-65) baby boomers

Data• Chronic conditions – clinic and self report• Social data and self-rated health - Self reported

Contextualising

Baby Boomers’ Labour Participation

Trends in Participation of Older Workers

Age Groups: 55-59; 60-64; 65+

May-70 Jun-99 Jan-06 Jul-10 May-70 Jun-99 Jan-06 Jul-10Males Females

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

55-59 60-64 65+

Perc

enta

ge %

Source: ABS Labour Force Surveys

Employment Status45-54 Year Olds in 1981 and 2006

Pre-war Cohort

Baby Boomers

Pre-war Cohort

Baby Boomers

Pre-war Cohort

Baby Boomers

Persons Males Females

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Employed Unemployed/NILF

Perc

enta

ge %

Source: ABS Census, 1981; 2006b

Employment StatusBaby Boomers 1946-1965

Volunteering

Unemployed

Unable to work

Home Duties

Casual

Retired

Part time

Full time

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Percentage %

Source: NWAHS TFU Survey 2 (CATI), 2007

Factors Influencing Labour Participation in Older Workers

• Age discrimination

• Lack of access to re-training

• Personal commitments

• Financial security

• Desire for more leisure

• Low education levels

Education by Age Cohort and Gender in Baby Boomers 1946-55 and 1956-65

1946-55 1956-65 1946-55 1956-65Males Females

0

5

10

15

20

25

Left school at 15 years

Perc

enta

ge %

Source: NWAHS Stage 2, 2004-06

13.7%

5.4%

20.2%

8.8 %

Employment StatusFemales by Age Cohort and Education Level – NWAHS

Baby Boomers 1946-55 and 1956-65

1946-55 1956-65 1946-55 1956-65 1946-55 1956-65Secondary Certificate/Diploma Tertiary

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Full-time Part-time/casual Home Duties

Perc

enta

ge %

Note: Retired, unemployed and ‘other’ categories excluded.Source: NWAHS Stage 2, 2004-06

Employment StatusFemales by Education Level – Census Baby Boomers - 1946-55 and 1956-

65

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1946-55 1956-65 1946-55 1956-65 1946-55 1956-65

Secondary Certificate/Diploma Tertiary

Pe

rce

nta

ge %

Full-time Part-time/casual Home Duties

Source: ABS 2006 Census (Australia) (ABS 2006c)

Health and Work

Employment by Self-Rated HealthBaby Boomers 1946-1965

Unable to work: 4.1%

Retired: 7.5%

Unemployed: 2.6%

Casual: 7.3%

Home Duties: 5.3%

Part-time: 16.6%

Full-time: 56.3%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Good-Excellent SR Health Poor-Fair SR Health

*p<.05; **p<.001Source: NWAHS TFU Survey 2 (CATI), 2007

**

*

**

Labour Participation and Self-Rated Health by Age Cohort

Baby Boomers - 1946-55 and 1956-65

1 In the labour force=f/time, p/time, casual, unemployed; 2 Not in the labour force=retired, home duties, unable to work**p<.001Source: NWAHS TFU Survey 2 (CATI), 2007

In labour force Not in labour force

In labour force Not in labour force

1946 1956

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Good-Excellent SR Health Fair-Poor SR Health

Perc

en ta

ge %

**

**

Percentage of Each Employment Category with Selected Chronic Conditions

Baby Boomers 1946-64

% of sample with CC Full-time Casual Un-employed Retired Unable to work0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Arthritis Depression COPD Diabetes Cardio

Perc

enta

ge %

Source: NWAHS Stage 2, 2004-06; NWAHS TFU Survey 2 (CATI), 2007

Odds Ratios for Reporting Not In the Labour Force by Chronic Condition and Age Cohort

Baby Boomers - 1946-55 and 1956-65

*p<.05; Source: NWAHS TFU Survey 2 (CATI), 2007

ILF NILF ILF NILF1946-55 1956-65

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Arthritis Depress Diabetes COPD

Perc

enta

ge %

**5.4

*2.1

*2.4

*2.2

*3.3 *

2.6

Odds Ratios for Reporting Not in the Labour Force by Chronic Condition and Gender

Baby Boomers 1946-1965

ILF NILF ILF NILFMales Females

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Arthritis Depress Diabetes COPD

Perc

enta

ge %

*p<.05; **p<.001Source: NWAHS TFU Survey 2 (CATI), 2007

**3.1

*2.8

*3.7

*2.8

*2.0

**4.4

*2.7

14.4%

8.8%

Variable Work Conditions &Self-Rated Health

Baby Boomers 1946-1965

*p<.05;Source: NWAHS TFU Survey 2 (CATI), 2007

**3.1

*2.8

*3.7

*2.8

*2.0

**4.4

*2.7

No Variability Partial Variability High Variability0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Good-Excellent SRH Poor-Fair SRH

Perc

enta

ge %

*

Self-Rated Health and Job StrainBaby Boomers - 1946-1965

**p<.001Source: NWAHS Work Data (CATI), 2011

Low Strain Active Job Passive Job High Strain0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Good-Ex SRH Poor-Fair SRH

Perc

enta

ge %

**

Job Satisfaction and Self-Rated HealthBaby Boomers 1946-1965

*p<.05;Source: NWAHS Work Data (CATI), 2011

Dissatisfied/Very Dissatisfied Not Sure Satisfied/Very Satisfied0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Good-Ex SRH Poor-Fair SRH

Perc

enta

ge %

*

*

Flexibility and Job SatisfactionBaby Boomers - 1946-1965

**p<.05Source: NWAHS Work Data (CATI), 2011

High Flexibility Partial Flexibility No flexibility0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Satisfied Not sure Dissatisfied

Perc

enta

ge %

*

Variability and Job SatisfactionBaby Boomers - 1946-1965

^ p=<.1Source: NWAHS Work Data (CATI), 2011

No Variability Partial Variability High Variability0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Satisfied Not sure Dissatisfied

Perc

enta

ge %

^

Satisfaction with Work-Life Balance by Self-Rated Health

Baby Boomers - 1946-1965

Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very Satisfied0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Good-Excellent SRH Poor-Fair SRH

Perc

enta

ge % **

**

**

*p<.001;Source: NWAHS Work Data (CATI), 2011

Co-worker Support in the Workplace – ‘People I work with are helpful in getting the job

done’Baby Boomers 1946-1965

*p<.001;Source: NWAHS Work Data (CATI), 2011

Disagree/Strongly Disagree Agree/Strongly Agree0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Good-Ex SRH Poor-Fair SRH

Perc

enta

ge %

**

Workplace Support for Healthy Behaviours by Self Rated Health

Baby Boomers - 1946-1965

Source: NWAHS Work Data (CATI), 2011

A lot Some Not at all0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Good-Ex SRH Poor-Fair SRH

Perc

enta

ge %

Future Research

• Interface between depression and employment status

• Workforce exit decisions of older workers with chronic conditions

• Workplace Interventions to facilitate better health

Implications for Policy

• Impact of poor health on workforce exits

– 44% of older boomers with poor SRH NILF = 9.9% of this sub-cohort

– 18.2% of younger boomers with poor/fair SRH NILF = 3.4% of this sub-cohort

• Primary and secondary prevention strategies

• Workplace policies and culture

• Labour market conditions

Contact Details and Acknowledgments

AcknowledgementsThis project was funded by an Australian Council Research Linkage Grant

Contact DetailsJennifer BuckleyEmail: jennifer.buckley@adelaide.edu.au

• Australia’s GDP per capita in 2009 was around $924.84 billion