The Associations between Falls, Fall Injuries and Labor Market Outcomes among U.S. Workers 65 Years and Older.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether falls are associated with the subsequent ability to work among workers 65 years and older.

METHODS: This longitudinal cohort study followed older workers enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study. Outcomes included time to health-related work limitation and to labor force exit.

RESULTS: After adjustment multiple falls with or without a medically-treated injury were associated with time to limitation (HR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.30-2.40; HR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.26-1.73, respectively). Adjustment mitigated a crude relationship between falls and time to exit. Significant interactions suggest the relationship between falls and labor force exit depends on age, race and job demands.

CONCLUSIONS: Falls, both non-injurious and injurious, are associated with subsequent health-related work limitation among workers 65 and older. Fall prevention activities would benefit workers who want or need to keep working past age 65.