Citation

Fleming LE, Lee DJ, Martinez AJ, Leblanc WG, McCollister KE, Bridges KC, Christ SL, Arheart KL, Pitman T. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2007; 50(6): 427-437.

Affiliation

Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/ajim.20468

PMID

17503458

Abstract

BACKGROUND: As the US workforce ages, lifestyle factors will increasingly affect their health, yet little information is available on their prevalence in older working populations. METHODS: Using the nationally representative 1997-2003 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), reported current smoking, risky drinking and leisure-time physical activity behaviors of older workers(>/= 65 years) were compared with older non-workers. These behaviors were evaluated by age, gender, race, ethnicity, and occupation, as well as prototype "healthy" and "risky" persons. RESULTS: The study population of 4,946 older US workers and 38,313 older non-workers represented an estimated 3.9 million older workers and 28.9 million older non-workers annually. Relative to older non-workers, older workers reported more current smoking and risky drinking, but higher levels of leisure-time physical activity with variations by subpopulations. CONCLUSIONS: Less than 4% of the older US worker population reported overall healthy behaviors. Certain occupations and other subpopulations can be targeted for age-appropriate behavioral interventions.

Language: en