Cognitive Functioning I

Abstract

AbstractThe intellectual stimulation provided by occupation throughout the life course seems to be an important determinant of cognitive function in late life. It is unclear if there are cognitive benefits to working later into life and whether cognitive function deteriorates after exiting the labor force. As the context of labor in Mexico requires Mexican adults to work later into life, we used longitudinal data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS). Analyses of the impact of participation in the labor force on cognitive functioning (verbal learning, delayed recall, visual scanning) were carried out using mixed-effects modeling corrected for the influence of gender, IADLs, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, depression, income, and marital status. Compared to production workers, those who worked in agriculture or with livestock had a significantly faster decline in verbal learning (0.02 words per year) and delayed recall (0.05 words per year), whereas those who worked in administration, education, or professional occupations had a significantly slower decline in delayed recall (0.06 per year). A continued participation in the labor force was, on one hand, associated with a faster decline in verbal learning for technicians (b=-0.073) and, on the other hand, associated with a slower faster decline in visual scanning for drivers (b=0.573). Our findings suggest that a continued participation in the labor force in old age does not necessarily come with cognitive benefits. Whether or not working actively in later life protects cognitive functioning probably depends on the type of job and individual characteristics.