Impact of working time and industry type on disability incidence among older Japanese adults

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Working influences health; however, there is still insufficient exploration on how the two are associated. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether working time/week and industry type affect disability incidence in older adults. Methods In this study, we included data from 4679 participants aged ≥ 65 years. Working time/week and industry types were divided into < 20, 20–40, and > 40 h/week, and primary, secondary, and tertiary categories. Cox regression analysis was used to determine the association between working hours and industry type with disability incidence. Results After a median of 83 months, 836 (17.9%) experienced a disability. The effects of working hours and industry type on disability incidence were found to be associated with age and sex. Individuals who were 74 years and younger and who worked for 20–40 h/week had a lower risk of disability incidence compared with non-workers (HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.27–0.99); however, there was no statistically significant difference in those 75 years and older. Females and individuals aged 74 years and younger who worked in teriary industries has a lower risk of disability incidence compared with non-workers (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.35–0.82: HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.35–0.81); however, no statistically significant difference was found in males or those 75 years and older. Conclusions Short working hours and tertiary industry employment were associated with a lower risk of developing disability, especially in females and those under 74 years. Paid work promotes physical health, but it is important to consider work hours and type of industry when choosing employment.