The Role of Late-Life Work Among Widowed Adults in Korea: A Buffer or Burden for Widow(er)s' Health?

Abstract

To examine the role of work in the bereavement process, we focused on health changes among widowed adults. We analyzed a sample of 518 adults (aged 52-95) from the Korean Retirement and Income Study (2011-2019) who experienced spousal loss during the study period. The widowed participants provided data on their employment status and perceived health at both pre-loss and post-loss. Widowed participants reported worse physical and mental health after the bereavement, but the significant health deterioration was not observed among employed participants. Adjusting for pre-loss health status and other covariates, employed widow(er)s showed a smaller decrease in physical and mental health, compared to their counterparts. The effect of employment on physical health changes was more pronounced for economically vulnerable widow(er)s. Work might serve as a restoring coping strategy for widowed individuals; economic benefits from the job may also contribute to their health and well-being.