Factors associated with paid work after the dam failure: Brumadinho Health Project

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the factors associated with paid work, after the dam failure, based on geographic strata, among men and women residing in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais.

METHODS

Baseline data from participants of the Brumadinho Health Project, aged 18 years or older, obtained through a questionnaire, between July and November 2021 (n=2,783) were used. The dependent variable was paid work after the dam failure and the explanatory variables were geographic stratum, age, education, race/skin color, self-perception of health and employment relationship before the event. The adjusted analysis was estimated by logistic regression. All analyses were performed separately for men and women.

RESULTS

Paid work after the dam failure was reported by 58.3% (95%CI 55.0-61.6) of the participants, with the highest prevalence among men (71.4%; 95%CI 67.1-75.3) compared to women (48.6%; 95%CI 44.3-52.8) (p<0.001). After adjustments, the results showed that the population who was directly exposed to the disaster was less likely to have a paid work after it, both for women (OR=0.68; 95%CI 0.48-0.95) and for men (OR=0.48; 95%CI 0.30-0.78). In addition, women directly exposed to the disaster and who reported being self-employed before it were less likely to have a paid work, compared to women who reported being employed with or without a formal contract.

CONCLUSION

Participation in the labor market is determined by several factors. Thus, intersectoral policies are necessary the population's demands of life and work are met in disaster situations.

[Determinants of paid work among older Brazilians using structural equation modeling: evidence from the ELSI-Brazil study]

This study aimed to develop a conceptual model and to explore direct and indirect associations between paid work and life-course factors in a representative national sample of the Brazilian population 50 years and older. The analysis was based on 8,903 participants in the baseline of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil). The exposure variables were sociodemographic, health, work, and social interaction variables. Based on a structural equation model, paid work showed total association with lifetime social status in women (standardized coefficient - SC = 0.489) and direct association with capacity for work in men (SC = 0.527). For women alone, an indirect and negative association was observed with lifetime intense physical effort at work, via retirement (SC = -0.156). Men with paid work were more prone to social participation, measured by belonging to groups or associations (SC = 0.209). Among women, this participation was through interaction with family and friends (SC = 0.047), via capacity for work. For both men and women, lifetime health status showed an indirect and positive association (SC = 0.298 men; SC = 0.142 women) with paid work, via capacity for work. All the above-mentioned factors showed a significant association with paid work. The study's results showed that participation in the work market occurs by different mechanisms for men and women, principally considering the factors related to work and social interaction.

Relationship between work before the epidemic and having gone out to work during the epidemic among participants in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging: results of the ELSI-COVID-19 initiative

The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of going out to work during the COVID-19 epidemic, and the factors associated with this, among adults aged 50 years and over who were in paid employment before its onset. We used data from the second wave of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil), conducted through face-to-face interviews between August 2019 and March 2020 (before the onset of the epidemic), in a representative national sample of adults aged 50 and over, and data obtained through telephone interviews carried out among the same participants (ELSI-COVID-19 initiative), conducted between May 26 and June 8, 2020 (during the epidemic). The analyses were based on odds ratios (OR) estimated by logistic regression. The participants' mean age was 59.9 years (SD = 6.5). The prevalence of going out to work in the previous seven days was 38.4% (95%CI: 31.3-46.1), 50.2% among men and 25.1% among women (formal work, self-employment, and informal work). The results showed that among men, the likelihood of going out to work was lower among those aged 60 to 69 years compared to those aged 50 to 59 years (OR = 0.27; 95%CI: 0.15-0.48). Among women, the likelihood was lower among those who were self-employed (OR = 0.28; 95%CI: 0.12-0.64) or in informal employment before the epidemic (OR = 0.25; 95%CI: 0.09-0.69), compared to those in formal employment. One of the hypotheses to explain this association is that women in informal employment were more likely to be dismissed, and that self-employed women have stopped working during the epidemic.

[Ongoing employment and chronic conditions among community-dwelling elderly people: evidence from Rede Fibra in Belo Horizonte]

This cross-sectional study was based on a probabilistic sample of 597 community-dwelling elderly people living in Belo Horizonte. Theaim was to assess which chronic conditions are independently associated with ongoing employment among elderly people. It was conducted to assess the isolated effect of each one. The multivariate analysis was based on Poisson regression models with robust variance, adjusted by sex, age, schooling, retirement and chronic conditions. Arthritis (or rheumatism) was the only chronic condition with independent and statistic significant association with ongoing employment, even after adjustment for other chronic conditions: older people with medical diagnosis of arthritis have lower odds of being in the labor market (Fully adjusted Prevalence ratio [PR] = 0.54; CI 95%: 0.35-0.85). Moreover, our results showed that gender modifies this association, with a lower propensity among females (PR=0.45; CI 95%: 0.25-0.84). Our results highlight the importance of health promotion among workers, mostly arthritis prevention and management among women.

Life course and work ability among older adults: ELSI-Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To examine factors associated with perception of work ability in a nationally representative sample of Brazilians aged 50 years and over.

METHODS

We used data from 8,903 participants of the baseline survey of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil). The dependent variable was self-rated work ability (good or very good versus fair, poor, or very poor). Independent variables included factors that operate at the beginning, middle, and current stage of life. Multivariate analysis was based on prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) estimated by Poisson regression.

RESULTS

Good work ability was reported by 49% of \ participants (49.4% among men and 48.6% among women). Results of the multivariate analysis showed that, for both men and women, good work ability showed positive and statistically significant associations (p < 0.05) with good health up to 15 years of age (PR = 1.22 and 1.18 , respectively), educational level ≥ 8 years (PR = 1.19 and 1.21, respectively), and current good self-rated health (PR = 1.88 and 1.94, respectively). Negative associations were observed for current age (PR = 0.99 for each increase of one year among men and women), medical diagnosis of depression (PR = 0.70 for men and PR = 0.87 for women), and having one or more at least chronic diseases (PR = 0.88 for men and 0.91 for women). Only for men, positive associations for the age at which they started working (PR = 1.14 and 1.12 for 11–17 and ≥ 18 years, respectively) and living with a spouse (PR = 1.09) were found.

CONCLUSIONS

Work ability in older ages is built over the life course, particularly by the health conditions in childhood and adolescence, age at which men begin working, educational level, and health conditions in older ages. Policies aimed at increasing longevity in the labor market must take these factors into account.

Aspectos sociodemográficos e de saúde associados ao trabalho remunerado em adultos (50-69 anos) na Região Metropolitana de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil

Foram examinados os fatores associados ao trabalho remunerado em uma amostra probabilística de 3.320 indivíduos (50-69 anos de idade), residentes na Região Metropolitana de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil. A prevalência do trabalho remunerado foi de 62,8% entre homens e 35,8% entre mulheres. Em ambos os gêneros, o trabalho remunerado apresentou associação positiva com o nível de escolaridade e negativa com a autoavaliação da saúde. A propensão de ter trabalho remunerado foi maior entre mulheres sem cônjuge e aquelas que conheciam alguém que havia sido discriminado no ambiente de trabalho. Entre os homens, a prevalência do trabalho remunerado caiu de 67,2%, entre aqueles com ≥ 8 anos de escolaridade e que avaliaram melhor a sua saúde, para 37,8% entre aqueles com escolaridade mais baixa e que avaliaram a sua saúde como ruim (RP = 0,56; IC95%: 0,37-0,87). Entre as mulheres, a prevalência correspondente caiu de 42,1% para 3,6% (RP = 0,09; IC95%: 0,03-0,26). A propensão de ter trabalho remunerado entre mulheres com baixa escolaridade e pior avaliação da saúde foi dez vezes menor do que entre seus equivalentes homens.