Sustainable Work Ability and Aging

• Main Author: Clas-Håkan, Nygård (auth)
• Format: Electronic Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2020
• Subjects: intermediate outcomes; musculoskeletal pain; work environment; occupational cohort; involuntary; work wellbeing; municipal workers; demography; voluntary; psychosocial hazards; healthcare worker; prevention; work ability index (WAI); work; work ability concept; older workers; longitudinal approach; e-health; predictors; work ability index; criterion validity; content validity; multisite pain; job resources; aging workforces; sedentary; measurement; responsiveness; occupational epidemiology; future-orientedness of the job; burnout; stress; knowing-doing gap; occupational turnover intention; sustainable employment; exhaustion; job performance; health; occupational stress; prospective study; COPSOQ II; aging; Australia; job demands; short-form validation; register-based; life course; longitudinal studies; workforce transitions; age difference; occupational health; sustainable careers; self-efficacy; intervention research; mature ages; Dutch nurses; prospective; well-being; physical heaviness; perceived work ability; construct validity; group identification; work ability; intervention; WAI; prolonged work career; JD-R model; trajectories; health promotion; ageing workers; predictive factors; healthy aging; data accuracy; psychosocial work exposures; intention to retire; meaningfulness of work; physical hazards; need for recovery; implementation; socioeconomic factors; psychological capital; social status; work stress; work disability; age; perceived fit with current job
• Online Access: DOAB: download the publication; DOAB: description of the publication

In many industrialized countries, there is a sharp increase of the aging population due to a decrease in fertility rate and an increase in life expectancy. Due to which, the age dependency ratio rises and may cause increased economic burden among working age population. One strategy to combat this problem is to prolong peoples working career. A sufficient work ability is a requirement for a sustainable and prolonged employment. Work ability is primarily a question of balance between work and personal resources. Personal resources change with age, whereas work demands may not change parallel to that, or only change due to globalization or new technology. Work ability, on average, decreases with age, although several different work ability pathways exist during the life course. Work-related factors, as well as general lifestyle, may explain the declines and improvements in work ability during aging. A sustainable work ability throughout the life course is a main incentive for a prolonged working career and a healthy aging. Work ability and work-related factors, are therefore important occupational and public health issues when the age of the population increases. This Special Issue, "Sustainable Work Ability and Aging", includes in all 16 original articles and one opinion paper, organized in three sections. The research topics cover