Job insecurity and change over time in health among older men and women.

OBJECTIVES

We estimated associations between job insecurity and change over time in the physical and psychological health of older adult men and women.

METHODS

We conducted secondary analyses of longitudinal data from men and women (N = 190) born between 1935 and 1952 in the Chicago Health, Aging, and Social Relations Study. We used multivariate regression techniques to test the association of job insecurity with changes in physical health (self-reported global health, resting blood pressure, and urinary catecholamines [epinephrine]) and psychological health (depressive symptoms, hostility, loneliness, and personal stress). We controlled for individual characteristics and baseline measures of the outcomes.

RESULTS

Men who experience job insecurity rate themselves in significantly poorer physical health and have higher blood pressure and higher levels of urinary catecholamines compared with men who do not experience job insecurity and women who do. Women who experience job insecurity show higher depressive symptoms and report more hostility, loneliness, and personal stress compared with women who do not experience job insecurity and men who do.

DISCUSSION: The correlation between job insecurity and health is different in men and women but may be clinically significant in both populations and is a potentially important threat to older adults' health and well-being.