Mental work demands, retirement, and longitudinal trajectories of cognitive functioning.

TitleMental work demands, retirement, and longitudinal trajectories of cognitive functioning.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsFisher, GG, Stachowski, A, Infurna, FJ, Faul, J, Grosch, J, Tetrick, LE
JournalJ Occup Health Psychol
Volume19
Issue2
Pagination231-42
Date Published2014 Apr
ISSN Number1939-1307
KeywordsCognition, Employment, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Retirement, Stress, Psychological
Abstract

Age-related changes in cognitive abilities are well-documented, and a very important indicator of health, functioning, and decline in later life. However, less is known about the course of cognitive functioning before and after retirement and specifically whether job characteristics during one's time of employment (i.e., higher vs. lower levels of mental work demands) moderate how cognition changes both before and after the transition to retirement. We used data from n = 4,182 (50% women) individuals in the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative panel study in the United States, across an 18 year time span (1992-2010). Data were linked to the O*NET occupation codes to gather information about mental job demands to examine whether job characteristics during one's time of employment moderates level and rate of change in cognitive functioning (episodic memory and mental status) both before and after retirement. Results indicated that working in an occupation characterized by higher levels of mental demands was associated with higher levels of cognitive functioning before retirement, and a slower rate of cognitive decline after retirement. We controlled for a number of important covariates, including socioeconomic (education and income), demographic, and health variables. Our discussion focuses on pathways through which job characteristics may be associated with the course of cognitive functioning in relation to the important transition of retirement. Implications for job design as well as retirement are offered.

Notes

Export Date: 21 April 2014 Source: Scopus Article in Press

URLhttp://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84896104239andpartnerID=40andmd5=8a0c0422ba5b68927fdc926a3e8a25b4
DOI10.1037/a0035724
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24635733?dopt=Abstract

Endnote Keywords

Aging/Cognitive Ability/Job Characteristics/Retirement

Endnote ID

999999

Alternate JournalJ Occup Health Psychol
Citation Key8022
PubMed ID24635733
PubMed Central IDPMC4663987
Grant ListR37 AG007137 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
U01 AG009740 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
CC999999 / / Intramural CDC HHS / United States
R01 AG027010 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
U01AG009740 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States