Do work and family care histories predict health in older women?
Eur J Public Health
; 27(6): 1010-1015, 2017 12 01.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-29036311
ABSTRACT
Background:
Social and policy changes in the last several decades have increased women's options for combining paid work with family care. We explored whether specific combinations of work and family care over the lifecourse are associated with variations in women's later life health.Methods:
We used sequence analysis to group women in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing according to their work histories and fertility. Using logistic regression, we tested for group differences in later life disability, depressive symptomology and mortality, while controlling for childhood health and socioeconomic position and a range of adult socio-economic circumstances and health behaviours.Results:
Women who transitioned from family care to either part-time work after a short break from the labour force, or to full-time work, reported lower odds of having a disability compared with the reference group of women with children who were mostly employed full-time throughout. Women who shifted from family care to part-time work after a long career break had lower odds of mortality than the reference group. Depressive symptoms were not associated with women's work and family care histories.Conclusion:
Women's work histories are predictive of their later life disability and mortality. This relationship may be useful in targeting interventions aimed at improving later life health. Further research is necessary to explore the mechanisms linking certain work histories to poorer later life health and to design interventions for those affected.
Texto completo:
1
Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Crianza del Niño
/
Estado de Salud
/
Empleo
Tipo de estudio:
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Aged
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
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Middle aged
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Eur J Public Health
Asunto de la revista:
EPIDEMIOLOGIA
/
SAUDE PUBLICA
Año:
2017
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Reino Unido