Abstract
Purpose To gain in-depth understanding of the number and type of experienced ageing problems, obstacles to perform work tasks, retention factors to maintain work and support needs to continue working life in the next years among workers aged 45 years and older with and without a chronic health condition. Methods A survey of workers’ perspectives on problems, obstacles, retention factors and needs due to ageing was carried out in 3,008 workers aged 45 years and older in nine different companies. To classify the open-ended questions we used the International Classification of Functioning and disability (ICF). Results Older workers with a chronic health condition reported more problems due to ageing (56 vs 34 %; p < .001), more obstacles (42 vs 16 %; p < .001) and more needs (51 vs 31 %; p < .001) compared to those without a chronic health condition. No relevant differences were found on type of experienced problems, obstacles, retention factors and needs between both groups. Problems and obstacles were found on physiological and psychological functions. Retention factors and needs to enhance sustainable working life were particularly reported on work-related environmental factors. Conclusion Because workers with a chronic health condition experienced more problems, obstacles and needs, the largest gain of occupational intervention can be achieved in these workers. However, our findings suggest that interventions aimed to enhance sustainable working life of older workers can be similar in content for persons with and without chronic health conditions and should have a central focus on work-related factors.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Council of the European union. Council conclusions on healthy and dignified ageing; 2,980th employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs council meeting. Brussel 2009.
The Council of the European Union. Council conclusions on Active Ageing; 3,019th employment, social policy health and consumer affairs Council meeting. Luxembourgh 2010.
Koolhaas W, van der Klink JJ, Groothoff JW, et al. Towards a sustainable healthy working life: associations between chronological age, functional age and work outcomes. Eur J Public Health. 2012;22:424–9.
Ilmarinen J. Work ability; a comprehensive concept for occupational health research and prevention. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2009;35:1–5.
Barnay T. In which ways do unhealthy people older than 50 exit the labour market in France? Eur J Health Econ. 2010;11(2):127–40.
von Bonsdorff ME, Huuhtanen P, Tuomi K, et al. Predictors of employees’ early retirement intentions: an 11-year longitudinal study. Occup Med (Lond). 2010;60:94–100.
Kessler RC, Greenberg PE, Mickelson KD, et al. The effects of chronic medical conditions on work loss and work cutback. J Occup Environ Med. 2001;43:218–25.
Lerner D, Allaire SH, Reisine ST. Work disability resulting from chronic health conditions. J Occup Environ Med. 2005;47:253–64.
Schultz AB, Chen CY, Edington DW. The cost and impact of health conditions on presenteeism to employers: a review of the literature. Pharmacoeconomics. 2009;27:365–78.
Baanders AN, Rijken PM, Peters L. Labour participation of the chronically ill. A profile sketch. Eur J Public Health. 2002;12:124–30.
Donders NC, Roskes K, van der Gulden JW. Fatigue, emotional exhaustion and perceived health complaints associated with work-related characteristics in employees with and without chronic diseases. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2007;80:577–87.
Varekamp I, van Dijk FJ. Workplace problems and solutions for employees with chronic diseases. Occup Med (Lond). 2010;60:287–93.
van den Berg TI, Elders LA, Burdorf A. Influence of health and work on early retirement. J Occup Environ Med. 2010;52:576–83.
Robroek SJ, van Lenthe FJ, Burdorf A. The role of lifestyle, health, and work in educational inequalities in sick leave and productivity loss at work. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2012. doi:10.1007/s00420-012-0793-1.
Lund T, Labriola M, Christensen KB, et al. Physical work environment risk factors for long term sickness absence: prospective findings among a cohort of 5,357 employees in Denmark. BMJ. 2006;332:449–52.
Nilsson K, Hydbom AR, Rylander L. Factors influencing the decision to extend working life or retire. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2011;37:473–80.
de Vries HJ, Reneman MF, Groothoff JW, et al. Factors promoting staying at work in people with chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review. Disabil Rehabil. 2012;34:443–58.
Detaille SI, Heerkens YF, Engels JA, et al. Common prognostic factors of work disability among employees with a chronic somatic disease: a systematic review of cohort studies. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2009;35:261–81.
Koskinen S, Martelin T, Sainio P, Gould R. Health. In: Gould R, Ilmarinen J, Jarvisalo J, Koskinen S, editors. Dimensions of work ability: results of the Health 2000 Survey. Helsinki: Finnish Centre for Pensions, The Social Insurance Institution, National Public Health Institute, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health; 2008. p. 65–79.
Beatty JE, Joffe R. An overlooked dimension of diversity: the career effects of chronic illness. Organ Dyn. 2006;35:182–95.
Klerk MMY. Rapportage gehandicapten 2000: arbeidsmarkt en financiële situatie van mensen met beperkingen en/of chronische ziekten [Report of the handicapped 2000: employment and financial situation of people with limitations and/or chronic diseases]. Den Haag: Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau; 2000.
WHO. International classification of functioning, disability and health. World Health Organinization. Geneva 2001.
Heerkens Y, Engels J, Kuiper C, et al. The use of the ICF to describe work related factors influencing the health of employees. Disabil Rehabil. 2004;26:1060–6.
Heerkens Y, Ravensberg DV. Personal factors in the ICF. WHO Fam Int Classif (FIC) Collab Centre Neth. 2012;10:14.
Cieza A, Brockow T, Ewert T, et al. Linking health-status measurements to the international classification of functioning, disability and health. J Rehabil Med. 2002;34:205–10.
Cieza A, Szilvia G, Somnath C, Nenad K, Bedirhan Ü, Gerold S. ICF linking rules: an update based on lessons learned. J Rehabil Med (Taylor & Francis Ltd). 2005;37:212–8.
Schuring M, Robroek SJ, Otten FW, et al. The effect of ill health and socioeconomic status on labor force exit and re-employment: a prospective study with 10 years follow-up in the Netherlands. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2013;39(2):134–43.
Schuring M, Burdorf L, Kunst A, et al. The effects of ill health on entering and maintaining paid employment: evidence in European countries. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2007;61:597–604.
Cardano M, Costa G, Demaria M. Social mobility and health in the Turin longitudinal study. Soc Sci Med. 2004;58:1563–74.
Bambrick P, Bonder B. Older adults’ perceptions of work. Work. 2005;24:77–84.
Porcellato L, Carmichael F, Hulme C, et al. Giving older workers a voice: constraints on the employment of older people in the North West of England. Work Empl Stress. 2010;24:85.
Fraser L, McKenna K, Turpin M, et al. Older workers: an exploration of the benefits, barriers and adaptations for older people in the workforce. Work. 2009;33:261–72.
de Vries HJ, Brouwer S, Groothoff JW, et al. Staying at work with chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain: a qualitative study of workers’ experiences. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2011;12:126.
Banks P, Lawrence M. The Disability Discrimination Act, a necessary, but not sufficient safeguard for people with progressive conditions in the workplace? The experiences of younger people with Parkinson’s disease. Disabil Rehabil. 2006;28:13–24.
Ilmarinen J. Toward a longer worklife: ageing and the quality of worklife in the European Union. Helsinki: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health; 2005.
Gould R, Ilmarinen J, Jarvisalo J, Koskinen S. Dimensions of work ability: results of the Health 2000 Survey. Helsinki: Finnish Centre for Pensions, The Social Insurance Institution, National Public Health Institute, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health; 2008.
Seitsamo J, Tuomi K, Ilmarinen J, Gould R. Work and the work environment. In: Gould R, Ilmarinen J, Jarvisalo J, Koskinen S, editors. Dimensions of work ability: results of the health 2000 survey. Helsinki: Finnish Centre for Pensions, The Social Insurance Institution, National Public Health Institute, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health; 2008. p. 99–108.
Barlow J, Wright C, Sheasby J, et al. Self-management approaches for people with chronic conditions: a review. Patient Educ Couns. 2002;48:177–87.
Varekamp I, Verbeek JH, de Boer A, et al. Effect of job maintenance training program for employees with chronic disease—a randomized controlled trial on self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and fatigue. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2011;37:288–97.
Erdogan B, Enders J. Support from the top: supervisors’ perceived organizational support as a moderator of leader-member exchange to satisfaction and performance relationships. J Appl Psychol. 2007;92:321–30.
Haafkens JA, Kopnina H, Meerman MG, et al. Facilitating job retention for chronically ill employees: perspectives of line managers and human resource managers. BMC Health Serv Res. 2011;11:104.
Li CY, Sung FC. A review of the healthy worker effect in occupational epidemiology. Occup Med (Lond). 1999;49:225–9.
Shah D. Healthy worker effect phenomenon. Indian J Occup Environ Med. 2009;13:77–9.
Detaille SI, Haafkens JA, van Dijk FJH. What employees with rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus and hearing loss need to cope at work. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2003;29:134–42.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Koolhaas, W., van der Klink, J.J.L., Vervoort, J.P.M. et al. In-Depth Study of the Workers’ Perspectives to Enhance Sustainable Working Life: Comparison Between Workers With and Without a Chronic Health Condition. J Occup Rehabil 23, 170–179 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-013-9449-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-013-9449-6