Level of Concern, Spending, and External Support Related to COVID-19: A Comparison between Working and Non-Working Older Adults.

This study compared levels of concern, spending, and use of external support by working status among older adults in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. It assessed whether work influences these variables related to wellness. Data from 2489 older adults from the 2020 U.S. Health and Retirement Study were analyzed using multiple linear and logistic regression. Older adults who worked had lower concerns about the pandemic (ß = -0.28, p = 0.048), were less likely to increase their spending (OR = 0.74, p = 0.041), and were less likely to use external support (OR = 0.50, p < 0.001). Use of external support increased with age (OR = 1.04, p < 0.001) and increased spending (OR = 1.32, p = 0.019). Married older adults were less likely to increase spending (OR = 0.75, p = 0.007) and had lower concerns toward COVID-19 (ß = -0.28, p = 0.011). Higher levels of concern were reported among women (ß = 0.31, p = 0.005) and participants who had friends or family members diagnosed with COVID-19 (ß = 0.51, p < 0.001). Women were more likely to use support (OR = 1.80, p < 0.001). Work appears to bolster older adult wellness outcomes.

When and how personality predicts workplace safety: Evaluating a moderated mediation model.

INTRODUCTION: Though previous research has linked personality and workplace safety, results have been inconsistent. Aims of the present study were to understand when and how personality factors predict safety performance. METHODS: With 492 working adults, a moderated mediation model was tested whereby the relationship between personality and safety behavior was mediated by safety motivation and moderated by situation strength (i.e., safety climate perceptions). RESULTS: Findings indicate that, aside from extraversion, safety motivation mediated all relationships between FFM personality traits and safety behavior. The mediated relationship between conscientiousness and safety motivation was attenuated by safety climate perceptions. However, relationships between all other personality traits and safety motivation, and ultimately safety behavior, remained consistent or, in the case of extraversion, was augmented at higher levels of safety climate perceptions. CONCLUSION: Results demonstrate an empirical basis for how and when personality translates into safety behavior at work. Additionally, findings provide a theoretical explanation for the mixed results among previous studies of personality's relationship with safety outcomes. Implications are discussed for employee selection and training practices in safety-intensive industries.