Mirroring a worldwide phenomenon in industrialized nations, the U.S. is experiencing a change in its demographic structure known as population aging. Concern about the aging population tends to focus on the adequacy of Medicare and Social Security, retirement of older Americans, and the need to identify policies, programs, and strategies that address the health and safety needs of older workers.

Older workers differ from their younger counterparts in a variety of physical, psychological, and social factors. Evaluating the extent, causes, and effects of these factors and improving the research and data systems necessary to address the health and safety needs of older workers may significantly impact both their ability to remain in the workforce and their well being in retirement.

Health and Safety Needs of Older Workers provides an image of what is currently known about the health and safety needs of older workers and the research needed to encourage social polices that guarantee older workers a meaningful share of the nation’s work opportunities.

Contents

• THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
• COMMITTEE ON THE HEALTH AND SAFETY NEEDS OF OLDER WORKERS
• BOARD ON BEHAVIORAL, COGNITIVE, AND SENSORY SCIENCES
• Preface
• Executive Summary
• 1. Introduction
  • THE CHARGE TO THE COMMITTEE
  • THE NEED FOR RESEARCH
  • THE AGING WORKFORCE: A MOVING TARGET
  • THE LIFE COURSE PERSPECTIVE
  • THE STUDY AND THE REPORT
  • NOTE ON DATA TABLES IN APPENDIXES
• 2. Demographic Characteristics of the Older Workforce
  • DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS OF OLDER PERSONS
  • DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS OF OLDER WORKERS
  • HEALTH AND JOB CHARACTERISTICS AMONG OLDER WORKERS
• 3. The Role of the Changing Labor Market and the Changing Nature of Work in Older Workers' Work Experiences and Health Outcomes
  • CHANGES IN THE LABOR MARKET
  • THE CHANGING NATURE OF WORK
• 4. The Social and Economic Context of Work for Older Persons
  • SOCIOECONOMIC POSITION
  • GENDER
  • RACE AND ETHNICITY
  • AGE DISCRIMINATION
  • THE NATURE OF WORK
  • UNPAID WORK ROLES
  • WORK AND THE WIDER CONTEXT
• 5. Physical and Cognitive Differences Between Older and Younger Workers
  • WELL-BEING OF OLDER WORKERS AND CHANGES WITH AGE
  • MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES FOR THE OLDER WORKER
  • PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF OLDER WORKERS
• 6. Effects of Workplace Exposures on Older Workers
  • EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL, AND BIOLOGICAL EXPOSURES
  • HEALTH EFFECTS OF WORK ORGANIZATION
  • EFFORTS TO ASSESS BURDEN OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
• 7. Programs and Policies Related to the Older Workforce and Safe Work
  • LEGALLY MANDATED INTERVENTIONS
  • THE LEGAL CONTEXT
  • SPECIFIC AREAS OF LEGAL INTERVENTION
  • WAGE AND BENEFIT PROTECTION TO ENABLE WORKERS TO EXIT RISKY WORK
• 8. Interventions for Older Workers
  • JOB DESIGN AND REDESIGN
  • ISSUES IN TRAINING FOR WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY
  • HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE AND ILLNESS OR DISORDER PREVENTION FOR OLDER WORKERS
  • ACCOMMODATIONS FOR WORKERS WITH IMPAIRMENTS AND RETURN-TO-WORK PROGRAMS
• 9. Conclusions and Recommendations
  • KEY CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • ADDITIONAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
• References
• Appendix A Epidemiological and Demographic Tables
• Appendix B Estimated Survival Functions for Men and Women
• Appendix C Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff

Suggested citation:

National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine. (2004). Health and Safety Needs of Older Workers. Committee on the Health and Safety Needs of Older Workers. D.H. Wegman and J.P. McGee, editors. Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This study was supported by Contract No. 200-1999-00023 between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Institutes of Health. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.