The frequency of job participation and well-being of older people in Japan: Results from JAGES study

Abstract

We investigated the association between the frequency of job participation and well-being among older people in Japan, using data from a prospective nation-wide survey, the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES). The frequency of work was classified into “not working,” “sometimes or less” (≤3 times/week), and “often or more” (≥4 times/week), and we conducted binary and continuous outcome analyses using logistic or Poisson regression and linear regression. After adjusting for covariates, we have found that participants who worked “often or more” and “sometimes or less” were less likely to display poor subjective health (often or more = odds ratio (OR): 0.55, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.48 to 0.62; sometimes or less = OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.67) and depression (often or more = OR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.53 to 0.73; sometimes or less = OR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.71), and more likely to be happy (often or more = prevalence ratio (PR): 1.05, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.07; sometimes or less = PR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.05). Linear regression analysis of ordinal discrete outcomes showed similar trends, and furthermore suggested that more work conferred more benefits. The participants who worked “often or more” were less likely to have poor subjective health and were happier than those who worked “sometimes or less” (linear coefficients of −0.04 and 0.15 respectively). Further research is required to investigate possible explanations for the association between frequent job participation and health and well-being at older ages.