Chronic Health Problems of Older Workers and Their Occupational Safety: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Ageing is accompanied by a general decline in physical health and a rise in chronic health problems . The increasing rate of workforce ageing and prolonged work life are likely to result in more workers working at older ages with potential diseases and disabilities. This study aims to examine the relationships between a series of chronic health problems and occupational safety risks of older workers using the meta-analysis technique. Literature search was conducted through Google Scholar. Literature published in the last 30 years (from 1989 to 2019) was collected. Eighteen journal articles were included. Sixty records were extracted from these studies. The overall effect size indicated that the odds ratio of occurrence of occupational accidents for older workers with chronic health problems is 1.455 times as high as those without any health problems included. The aggregated effect sizes of 12 categories of health problems showed that older workers with hearing impairment, visual impairment, musculoskeletal disorder, obesity, urogenital problems, chronic bronchitis/emphysema, substance abuse, or not specified health problems suffer significantly higher occupational safety risks than those without such health problems. However, the aggregated odds ratios for cancers, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, and neurotic disorders showed insignificant associations of these diseases with the adverse safety outcomes of older workers. In addition, type of health problem, gender, and cutoff age moderated the focused relationships. Policies related to ageing workforce, e.g., prolonging work life, should consider chronic health problems concerning older workers protection from occupational safety risks.

Appendix 1

Details of Records Included in the Meta-Analysis

Study name	Health problem	Category of problem	Odds ratio	Lower limit	Upper limit	Sample size	Data collection method	Gender	Country	Occupation	Cutoff age
Baidwan et al. (2018)	Chronic physical health conditions	Not specified	1.422	1.114	1.815	7212	Using data from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study from 2004 to 2014	Both	US	Cross-occupation	50
Browning et al. (1998)	Hearing	Hearing	1.436	0.918	2.245	998	By telephone survey	Both	US	Farming	55
Browning et al. (1998)-1	Vision	Vision	1.592	0.881	2.878	998	By telephone survey	Both	US	Farming	55
Browning et al. (1998)-2	Arthritis	Musculoskeletal	1.170	0.755	1.813	998	By telephone survey	Both	US	Farming	55
Chau et al. (2009)	Obesity	Obesity	2.200	1.113	4.350	2888	By postal questionnaire	Both	France	Cross-occupation	45
Chau et al. (2009)-1	Alcohol abuse	Substance abuse	1.800	1.081	2.997	2888	By postal questionnaire	Both	France	Cross-occupation	45
Chau et al. (2009)-2	Musculoskeletal disorders	Musculoskeletal	3.500	1.864	6.572	2888	By postal questionnaire	Both	France	Cross-occupation	45
Chau et al. (2009)-3	Hearing	Hearing	1.000	0.513	1.949	2888	By postal questionnaire	Both	France	Cross- occupation	45
Chau et al. (2009)-4	Visual	Vision	1.300	0.749	2.257	2888	By postal questionnaire	Both	France	Cross-occupation	45
Fraade-Blanar et al. (2017)	Hearing	Hearing	0.801	0.572	1.120	5586	Using data from Health and Retirement Study from 2010 to 2014	Both	US	Cross-occupation	50
Fraade-Blanar et al. (2017)-1	Vision	Vision	0.863	0.642	1.160	5586	Using data from Health and Retirement Study from 2010 to 2014	Both	US	Cross-occupation	50
Heaton et al. (2010)	Arthritis	Musculoskeletal	2.060	1.270	3.341	1423	Using mailed and telephonic surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Heaton et al. (2012)	Arthritis/rheumatism	Musculoskeletal	1.940	1.409	2.671	1419	Using telephoned or mailed surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Heaton et al. (2012)-1	Mobility problems	Musculoskeletal	2.071	1.485	2.888	1419	Using telephoned or mailed surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Janssen et al. (2011)	Obese	Obesity	1.960	1.109	3.465	7678	By home or telephone interview	Both	Canada	Cross-occupation	40
Kunar et al. (2010)	Presence of disease	Not specified	2.480	1..491	4.124	2376	By face-to-face interview and questionnaire	Male	India	Mining	45
Marcum et al. (2011)	Hearing	Hearing	1.630	1.230	2.160	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Marcum et al. (2011)-1	Vision	Vision	1.380	1.073	1.775	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Marcum et al. (2011)-2	Arthritis	Musculoskeletal	1.680	1.319	2.139	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Marcum et al. (2011)-3	Carpal tunnel	Musculoskeletal	1.600	0.972	2.635	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Marcum et al. (2011)-4	Back problems	Musculoskeletal	1.800	1.369	2.367	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Marcum et al. (2011)-5	Heart attack	Cardiovascular	1.190	0.888	1.596	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Marcum et al. (2011)-6	Stroke	Cardiovascular	1.270	0.857	1.883	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Marcum et al. (2011)-7	High blood pressure	Cardiovascular	1.060	0.851	1.321	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Marcum et al. (2011)-8	Chronic bronchitis or emphysema	Chronic bronchitis or emphysema	2.360	1.534	3.630	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Marcum et al. (2011)-9	Osteoporosis	Musculoskeletal	0.740	0.48	1.140	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Marcum et al. (2011)-10	Skin cancer	Cancer	1.510	0.979	2.328	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Marcum et al. (2011)-11	Other cancers	Cancer	1.240	0.759	2.027	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Marcum et al. (2011)-12	Incontinence	Urogenital	1.370	0.845	2.222	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Both	US	Farming	50
Marcum et al. (2011)-13	Prostate problems	Urogenital	1.330	0.873	2.027	1394	By telephone and mail surveys	Male	US	Farming	50
Mick et al. (2018)	Hearing	Hearing	1.539	1.239	1.912	107352	Using data from the 1999 to 2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys–Household Component (MEPS-HC)	Both	US	Cross-occupation	50
Pollack et al. (1998)	Substance abuse	Substance abuse	0.776	0.277	2.172	7895	Using the workers’ compensation records from 1990 to 1991	Both	US	Construction	45
Price et al. (2012)	Disabilities	Not specified	3.009	2.075	4.365	183676	Using 2006 to 2010 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data	Both	US	Cross-occupation	55
Shi et al. (2015)-a	Disabilities	Not specified	1.987	1.582	2.495	604134	Using 1997 to 2011 NHIS data	Both	US	Cross-occupation	55
Shi et al. (2015)-b	Persistent disabilities	Not specified	2.121	1.811	2.485	51254	Using data from Medical Expenditure Panels Survey 2004 to 2011	Both	US	Cross-occupation	45
Voaklander et al. (2006)	Vision	Vision	1.030	0.738	1.437	1692	Using data from Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI)	Male	Canada	Farming	66
Voaklander et al. (2006)-1	Incontinence/urinary tract disorders	Urogenital	2.150	1.108	4.172	1692	Using data from CIHI	Male	Canada	Farming	66
Voaklander et al. (2006)-2	Osteoarthritis	Musculoskeletal	1.570	1.151	2.142	1692	Using data from CIHI	Male	Canada	Farming	66
Voaklander et al. (2006)-3	Neurotic disorder	Neurotic disorder	1.080	0.679	1.718	1692	Using data from CIHI	Male	Canada	Farming	66
Voaklander et al. (2006)-4	Osteoporosis	Musculoskeletal	4.290	1.442	12.77	1692	Using data from CIHI	Male	Canada	Farming	66
Voaklander et al. (2006)-5	Hypertension	Cardiovascular	0.750	0.548	1.026	1692	Using data from CIHI	Male	Canada	Farming	66
Voaklander et al. (2006)-6	Cardiovascular disease	Cardiovascular	0.970	0.691	1.362	1692	Using data from CIHI	Male	Canada	Farming	66
Voaklander et al. (2006)-7	Diabetes	Diabetes	1.110	0.685	1.798	1692	Using data from CIHI	Male	Canada	Farming	66
Voaklander et al. (2006)-8	Cancer	Cancer	0.680	0.433	1.068	1692	Using data from CIHI	Male	Canada	Farming	66
Xiang et al. (1999)	High blood pressure	Cardiovascular	0.374	0.117	1.193	113	By telephone survey from 1993 to 1995	Male	US	Farming	60
Xiang et al. (1999)-1	Heart disease	Cardiovascular	0.306	0.037	2.510	113	By telephone survey from 1993 to 1995	Male	US	Farming	60
Xiang et al. (1999)-2	Back pain	Musculoskeletal	2.128	0.704	6.434	113	By telephone survey from 1993 to 1995	Male	US	Farming	60
Xiang et al. (1999)-3	Arthritis	Musculoskeletal	0.970	0.398	2.366	113	By telephone survey from 1993 to 1995	Male	US	Farming	60
Xiang et al. (1999)-4	Hearing	Hearing	1.953	0.777	4.906	113	By telephone survey from 1993 to 1995	Male	US	Farming	60
Xiang et al. (1999)-5	Cancer	Cancer	2.348	0.626	8.805	113	By telephone survey from 1993 to 1995	Male	US	Farming	60
Zwerling et al. (1996)	Obesity	Obesity	1.290	1.009	1.649	6854	Using data from the Health and Retirement Study from 1992 to 1993	Both	US	Non-farming	51
Zwerling et al. (1996)-1	Vision	Vision	2.010	1.488	2.716	6854	Using data from the Health and Retirement Study from 1992 to 1993	Both	US	Non-farming	51
Zwerling et al. (1996)-2	Hearing	Hearing	2.080	1.593	2.715	6854	Using data from the Health and Retirement Study from 1992 to 1993	Both	US	Non-farming	51
Zwerling et al. (1996)-3	Alcohol dependence	Substance abuse	1.950	1.271	2.992	6854	Using data from the Health and Retirement Study from 1992 to 1993	Both	US	Non-farming	51
Zwerling et al. (1996)-4	Disabled from work	Not specified	1.540	1.019	2.328	6854	Using data from the Health and Retirement Study from 1992 to 1993	Both	US	Non-farming	51
Zwerling et al. (1998)	Obesity	Obesity	1.420	1.074	1.877	5600	Using data from the Health and Retirement Study from 1992 to 1994	Both	US	Non-farming	51
Zwerling et al. (1998)-1	Vision	Vision	1.810	1.229	2.667	5600	Using data from the Health and Retirement Study from 1992 to 1994	Both	US	Non-farming	51
Zwerling et al. (1998)-2	Hearing	Hearing	1.720	1.229	2.408	5600	Using data from the Health and Retirement Study from 1992 to 1994	Both	US	Non-farming	51
Zwerling et al. (1998)-3	Alcohol dependence	Substance Abuse	1.420	0.911	2.213	5600	Using data from the Health and Retirement Study from 1992 to 1994	Both	US	Non-farming	51
Zwerling et al. (1998)-4	Disabled from work	Not specified	1.740	1.253	2.416	5600	Using data from the Health and Retirement Study from 1992 to 1994	Both	US	Non-farming	51