Effect of Stress on the Work Ability of Aging American Workers: Mediating Effects of Health

Abstract

We examined how stress affects the work ability of an aging workforce, how health mediates this relationship, and how the effects of stress on work ability differ in relation to social status. We analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Survey, namely, 2921 observations in 2010, 2289 observations in 2012, and 2276 observations in 2014. Ongoing chronic stress, social status, health status, and associations with individual work ability were assessed with ordinary least squares regression. Stress was significantly inversely associated with work ability. Health may function as a mediator between individual stress and work ability. The effects of stress and health on work ability decreased as social status increased. To cope with the challenges of aging workforces, future policy-makers should consider job resources and social status.