Participation in and use of skills development for work ability and expected retirement age: a cross-sectional study among senior workers.

Introduction: Europe's aging population calls for ways to prolong working life. Skills development initiatives could potentially improve work ability and extend working lives and may thus be key to address this challenge. However, the role of skills development in relation to work ability and retirement age is still not fully understood.

Workplace-based prevention and management of knee pain: a systematic review.

Objective: Knee pain is highly prevalent and disabling among the general and working population. This systematic review explored the effectiveness of workplace-based interventions on knee pain among workers.

Methods: A PICO-guided systematic search was performed in PubMed and Web of Science Core Collection for articles published from 2003 until January 2023.

Are the Quality of Organizational Changes Associated with Expected Retirement-Age Among Senior Employees?

Objective: Major organizational changes may be associated with both positive and negative uncertainty in working life. This study described the prevalence of organizational changes (reorganizations or round of layoffs) within different job functions in Denmark and investigated whether quality of the implementation process (measured as "information", "involvement" and "consent") was associated with employees' expectations regarding retirement age.

Methods: A representative sample of older Danish employees ≥ 50 years (n = 12,269) replied to a questionnaire survey in 2020.

The use of individual and collective selection, optimisation and compensation (SOC) strategies and their association with work ability among senior workers.

Unlabelled: Background Selection, optimisation, and compensation (SOC) can be important strategies for maintaining work ability as we age. This study aimed to explore differences in self-reported individual and collective use of SOC strategies across job functions, as well as their association with self-rated work ability.

Methods: In the third wave of the SeniorWorkingLife study, 10,798 workers aged 50 + , across the job function categories "Office work", "work with people", and "work in the field of production", replied to questions about collective and individual SOC strategies and work ability.

Musculoskeletal pain intensity and risk of long-term sickness absence in the general working population: A prospective cohort study with register follow-up.

Determining predictors of sickness absence could allow for better screening, guidance, and development of preventive efforts aimed at those in increased risk. This study aimed to determine the prospective association between musculoskeletal pain intensity and risk of incident register-based long-term sickness absence in the general working population, as well as to determine the population attributable fraction. Drawing on data from a nation-wide questionnaire survey, this prospective cohort study followed a representative sample of the Danish general working population without recent long-term sickness absence (≥6 consecutive weeks) (n = 69,273) for long-term sickness absence up to two years (mean follow-up: 93 weeks) in a national register.

Work-limiting musculoskeletal pain and its association with loss of paid employment among senior workers: prospective cohort study with register follow-up.

Background: A growing population of elderly necessitates a sharpened focus on sustainable employment through aging. Physically demanding work can be challenging, especially for senior workers. Establishing determinants of labor market participation could guide policy development and preventive efforts at the workplaces aiming at keeping senior workers longer in the labor market.

Expected reasons for leaving the labour market and loss of paid employment among older workers: prospective cohort study.

Background: Surveying expected reasons for retirement may be a useful strategy to maintain labor market affiliation. The aim was to investigate the prospective association between self-reported expected reasons for leaving the labour market and subsequent loss of paid employment before the state pension age among older workers.

Methods: The prospective risk of loss of paid employment before the official state pension age was estimated from expected reasons for leaving the labour market among 10,320 currently employed older workers (50-63 years) from the SeniorWorkingLife study.

Duration and intensity of occupational lifting and risk of long-term sickness absence: Prospective cohort study with register follow-up among 45 000 workers.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prospective association of lifting duration and lifting load with the risk of long-term sickness absence (LTSA).

Methods: We followed manual workers with occupational lifting (N=45 346) from the Work Environment and Health in Denmark Study (2012-2018) for two years in a high-quality national register on social transfer payments (DREAM). Cox regressions with model-assisted weights were employed to estimate the risk of LTSA from lifting duration and loads.

Employee perception of managers' attitudes towards older workers is associated with risk of loss of paid work before state pension age: prospective cohort study with register follow-up.

It is increasingly urgent to retain older workers in the workforce. In the present study, we analysed the prospective associations between employees' perceptions of their managers' attitudes towards older workers, and of having experienced age discrimination in the labour market with the risk of loss of paid work before the state pension age. Questionnaire data from 10,320 currently employed workers aged 50 + on perceptions of managers' attitudes towards older workers and perceived age discrimination were collected at baseline in the SeniorWorkingLife study.

Barriers and Facilitators of Re-Employment among Senior Workers: Prospective Cohort Study.

Re-entering the labour market after a period of unemployment can be challenging for seniors. This study investigates personal as well as circumstantial barriers and facilitators of re-employment. Unemployed seniors in Denmark (≥50 years, n = 1636) from the first wave (mid-2018) of the SeniorWorkingLife study were prospectively followed until March 2020 in national registers on labour market participation.

New Technology and Loss of Paid Employment among Older Workers: Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: This study investigates the association between the implementation of new technology in the workplace and the subsequent loss of paid employment among older workers.

Methods: We estimated the prospective risk of loss of paid employment (register-based) from questions on new technology among 10,320 older workers (≥50 years). To investigate potential differences between work types, analyses were stratified by job function: (1) work with symbols (office, administration, analysis, IT), (2) work with people (people, service, care), (3) work in the field of production (processing, producing or moving things).

Combined psychosocial work factors and risk of long-term sickness absence in the general working population: Prospective cohort with register follow-up among 69 371 workers.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the importance of combined psychosocial work factors for the risk of long-term sickness absence (LTSA).

Methods: We followed 69 371 employees in the general working population (Work Environment and Health in Denmark study 2012-2018), without LTSA during the preceding year, for up to two years in the Danish Register for Evaluation of Marginalization. Using k-means cluster analyses and weighted Cox-regression controlling for age, gender, survey year, education, health-behaviors, and physical work demands, we determined the prospective association of 11 identified clusters - based on the combination of nine psychosocial work factors (recognition, quantitative demands, work pace, emotional demands, influence, justice, role clarity, role conflicts, and support from colleagues) - with the risk of LTSA.

The Interplay between Multimorbidity, Physical Work Demands and Work Ability: Cross-Sectional Study among 12,879 Senior Workers.

Background: Aging increases the risk of chronic diseases, which can challenge the ability to work and thereby push senior workers out of the labour market. This study investigates the association between non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and work ability among workers ≥50 years (senior workers) with physically demanding and sedentary work, respectively. Methods: In the SeniorWorkingLife study, 12,879 senior workers replied to a questionnaire survey on work and health in 2018.

Characterization of Occupational Lifting Patterns with Exposure Variation Analysis. Cross-sectional Workplace Study among Blue-Collar Workers.

Objectives: To investigate and characterize the influence of sex, age, muscle strength, and cardiovascular fitness on manual lifting patterns using exposure variation analysis (EVA) during a full working day among blue-collar workers.

Methods: Muscular activity (surface electromyography [sEMG]) of the thigh, low-back, and shoulder was measured throughout the working day in 173 employees with manual lifting tasks from 14 workplaces. Relative sEMG loading was expressed as % of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC).

Potential of micro-exercise to prevent long-term sickness absence in the general working population: prospective cohort study with register follow-up.

This study assesses the potential of workplace-based micro-exercise (brief and simple exercise bouts) to prevent long-term sickness absence (LTSA) at the population level. In the Work Environment and Health in Denmark Study (2012-2018), we followed 70,130 workers from the general working population, without prior LTSA, for two years in the Danish Register for Evaluation of Marginalisation. We used Cox regression with model-assisted weights and controlled for various confounders.

Importance of the Working Environment for Early Retirement: Prospective Cohort Study with Register Follow-Up.

Background: This study investigates the role of physical work demands and psychosocial work factors for early retirement among older workers.

Methods: Data from three Danish surveys on work environment and health among employed older workers (age 55-59) were merged with a national register containing information on labour market participation. Robust Poisson regression modelled the risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between physical and psychosocial work factors and early retirement, that is, not working after the age of 64.

The Psychosocial Work Environment and Perceived Stress among Seniors with Physically Demanding Jobs: The SeniorWorkingLife Study.

Background: Poor psychosocial work conditions are known to foster negative health consequences. While the existing literature on this topic focus mainly on white-collar workers, the influence of different aspects of the psychosocial work environment in physically demanding jobs remain understudied. Likewise, senior workers represent a population of the workforce at increased risk of adverse health outcomes and premature exit from the labour market.

High physical work demands have worse consequences for older workers: prospective study of long-term sickness absence among 69 117 employees.

Objective: This study investigates the role of age for the prospective association between physical work demands and long-term sickness absence (LTSA).

Methods: We followed 69 117 employees of the general working population (Work Environment and Health in Denmark study 2012-2018), without LTSA during the past 52 weeks preceding initial interview, for up to 2 years in the Danish Register for Evaluation of Marginalisation. Self-reported physical work demands were based on a combined ergonomic index including seven different types of exposure during the working day.

What Do the Managers Think of Us? The Older-Worker-Perspective of Managers' Attitudes.

Background: Due to demographic changes, the need to prolong working life has become increasingly salient. Paradoxically, stereotyping and discrimination against workers based on their age can limit possibilities for a long working life. A large body of research has investigated attitudes towards older workers; however, less is known about differences across occupational groups as well gender differences.

Psychosocial stress and musculoskeletal pain among senior workers from nine occupational groups: Cross-sectional findings from the SeniorWorkingLife study.

Introduction: Maintaining good health with advancing age is increasingly important as most European countries experience an increase in retirement age. In order to decrease the risk of premature departure from the workforce, identifying groups at increased risk of musculoskeletal pain and psychosocial stress is essential in designing workplace policies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between occupational groups differing in terms of physical demands and skill requirement, and the outcomes of stress and pain.

Combined ergonomic exposures and development of musculoskeletal pain in the general working population: A prospective cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the importance of combined ergonomic exposures at work for the development of musculoskeletal pain.

Methods: Through four rounds (2012-2018) of the Work Environment and Health in Denmark Study, 18 905 employees of the general working population replied to a baseline and 2-year follow-up questionnaire. First, a k-means cluster analysis of seven ergonomic factors (back bending, arm above shoulders, lifting etc.

Is hard physical work in the early working life associated with back pain later in life? A cross-sectional study among 5700 older workers.

Objectives: Physically demanding work increases the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders during working life, with low back pain (LBP) as the most prevalent and debilitating musculoskeletal disorder worldwide. However, a lack of knowledge exists about the role of early working years on musculoskeletal health later in life. This study investigated whether an exposure-response association exists between physical demands in early working life and risk of LBP in later working life.

Joint association of physical work demands and leg pain intensity for work limitations due to pain in senior workers: cross-sectional study.

Background: Leg pain, especially of the knees and hips, is common among senior workers and may limit the ability to perform physically demanding work. In light of the aging workforce, this study determined the joint association of physical work demands and leg pain intensity for work-limiting pain in senior workers.

Methods: Currently employed senior workers (≥50 years) participated in the SeniorWorkingLife study in 2018 (n = 12,879).