Impact of early work start on mental health outcomes in older adults: A cross-sectional study from Ecuador.

Objective: This study assesses the impact of the age at which individuals first begin working on the odds of developing mental health disorders among older adults in Ecuador.

Methods: Data from the 2009 Survey of Health, Well-being, and Aging (SABE) encompassing 3093 elderly participants from mainland Ecuador were analyzed. We employed binary logistic regression to explore the association between the age at which individuals started working and their subsequent mental health status.

Results: Participants who started working between ages 5-12 and 26-35 had lower odds of mental health disorders compared to those who began at ages 18-25, while those who started working between ages 13-17 and 36-80 exhibited higher odds compared to the same baseline group. These associations are net of various demographic and health-related factors.

Conclusion: The results indicate mixed associations between the age at which individuals started working and their mental health outcomes in older age. While some age groups demonstrate lower odds of mental health disorders, others do not, suggesting a complex relationship that warrants further investigation.

Implications: This research supports the development of healthcare policies aimed at providing mental health education and services tailored to populations affected by early labor, to mitigate the enduring impacts of child labor on mental health in older age.