Gerontology Research Centre, Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, PO Box 35-Viveca, FI-40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
Scand J Work Environ Health. 2011 Nov;37(6):455-63. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.3177. Epub 2011 Jun 21.
We investigated the 28-year development trajectories of work ability among initially middle-aged male and female municipal employees and the association of perceived mental and physical work strain in midlife by work ability trajectory groups.
The baseline data of the Finnish longitudinal study of municipal employees (FLAME) were collected in 1981 (N=6257) with follow-ups in 1985, 1992, 1997, and 2009. Work ability was assessed in all the waves as present perceived work ability relative to lifetime best. Altogether, N=2690 had work ability data in 1981 and 2009, and at least for one wave in between these years, and were included in group-based semi-parametric mixture modeling trajectory analyses. Baseline differences in mental and physical work strain according to the work ability trajectories were assessed with MANCOVA (multivariate analysis of covariance).
A five-group work ability trajectory model was identified for men and a four-group model for women. For the majority, a linear decline from excellent to moderate or moderate to poor work ability was observed while non-linear trajectories with sudden collapse and, in some cases, modest subsequent recovery of work ability were also observed. Individuals who maintained their work ability on an excellent-to-moderate level throughout the follow-up more often reported low mental and physical work strain in midlife.
A substantial proportion of individuals seem to maintain their work ability on a moderate level from midlife to old age. Work strain may have far-reaching negative effects on individuals' work ability from midlife to old age, warranting vigilance in maintaining and promoting work ability throughout the lifespan.
我们调查了最初处于中年的男性和女性市政雇员 28 年来工作能力的发展轨迹，以及中年时感知到的心理和体力工作压力与工作能力轨迹组之间的关系。
芬兰市政雇员纵向研究（FLAME）的基线数据于 1981 年收集（N=6257），并于 1985 年、1992 年、1997 年和 2009 年进行了随访。在所有波次中，均根据一生中最佳工作能力评估当前感知的工作能力。总共，N=2690 人在 1981 年和 2009 年具有工作能力数据，并且至少在这两年之间的一个波次中具有数据，他们被纳入基于群组的半参数混合模型轨迹分析。根据工作能力轨迹，使用 MANCOVA（多变量协方差分析）评估基线时心理和体力工作压力的差异。
为男性确定了五组工作能力轨迹模型，为女性确定了四组模型。对于大多数人来说，观察到从优秀到中等或从中等到较差的工作能力的线性下降，同时也观察到非线性轨迹，包括突然崩溃，在某些情况下，工作能力会适度恢复。在随访期间一直保持优秀到中等工作能力的个体在中年时更常报告低心理和体力工作压力。
相当一部分人似乎能够从中年到老年保持中等水平的工作能力。工作压力可能会对个人从中年到老年的工作能力产生深远的负面影响，因此需要在整个生命周期中保持警惕，以维护和促进工作能力。
