Elderly people, labor market, ageism, and worker health: scope review

Based on a guiding question and search criteria, a selection of papers was conducted between April and June 2023 in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO), Web of Science, Scopus, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), and PUBMED databases. Out of a total of 1,745 productions found, 26 papers met the eligibility criteria, all of which were published in the last 10 years.

Results

From the analysis, two categories emerged for discussion: the impacts of ageism on worker health and actions for the health of elderly people in work environments. The main measures found to reduce ageism in work environments include the presence of a health team in workplaces that lead to illness and the promotion of education in gerontology for workers.

Conclusion

The incipiency of studies on the aging of the worker was observed, as well as the recognition of the most common diseases among elderly people who work and the professions in which they are most vulnerable to ageism. Further investigations may provide insights for the promotion of policies attentive to elderly people in the workforce and the development of a generational organizational culture.

Keywords
Aging; Elderly People; Labor Market; Ageism; Public Policies

Databases	Search strategies
SCIELO	“ageism” AND "demographic aging" OR "labor market" OR "workers age" OR "worker health"
Web of Science	((((((ALL=(ageism)) OR ALL=(stereotyping)) OR ALL=(discriminating)) AND ALL=(labor market)) AND ALL=(work)) AND ALL=(public health)) OR ALL=(occupational health)
Lilacs	(ageismo) OR (discriminação) OR (idadismo) AND ("mercado de trabalho") OR ("ambiente de trabalho") OR (trabalho) AND ("saúde do trabalhador") OR ("saúde ocupacional")
Scopus	(TITLE-ABS-KEY ( "Elder work" OR "Older worker" OR " elderly health " OR "Force aging" ) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY ( "ageism" OR "stereotyping" OR "discriminating" )
Pubmed	((((ageism) AND (labor market)) OR (work market) AND (demographic aging)) OR (workers age)) AND (work health) OR (Occupational health) AND (Aging workforce)

Year and Country of Origin	Title	Journal	Objective
2020, England¹⁶16 Parker M, Bucknall M, Jagger C, Wilkie R. Population-based estimates of healthy working life expectancy in England at age 50 years: analysis of data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Lancet Public Health. 2020;5(7):e395–403. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30114-6 https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30... ,	Population-based estimates of healthy working life expectancy in England at age 50 years: analysis of data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing	The Lancet Public health	To understand the life expectancy of older professionals in England, based on the ELSA study, as well as their health capacity to continue working.
2016, Brazil ¹⁷17 Paolini KS. Desafios da inclusão do idoso no mercado de trabalho. Rev Bras Med Trab. 2016;14(2):177–82. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.5327/Z1679-443520162915 https://doi.org/10.5327/Z1679-4435201629... ,	Challenges of elderly participation in the labor market	Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Trabalho	A bibliographic and qualitative review assessing the participation of elderly people in the labor market in Brazil and public policies.
2021, Germany¹⁹19 Rothermund K, Klusmann V, Zacher H. Age Discrimination in the Context of Motivation and Healthy Aging. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2021;76(Suppl2):S167–80. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab081 https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab081... ,	Age discrimination in the context of motivation and healthy aging.	The Journals of Gerontology: Series B	A review discussing strategies for reducing discrimination and promoting healthy aging.
2020, Ecuador²³23 Lanchimba C, Quisnancela J, Salazar Mendez Y. The choice of elderly labor: Evidence from Ecuador. RAE. 2020; 35(1), 75-97. Disponível em: http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-88702020000100075 https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-8870202000... ,	The choice of elderly labor: Evidence from Ecuador	RAE - Revista de análisis económico	To analyze the economic determinants of the decision to work among elderly people in Ecuador.
2021, Brazil ²⁴24 Batista RL, Teixeira KMD. O cenário do mercado de trabalho para idosos e a violência sofrida. Rev bras geriatr gerontol. 2021;24(6): e210022. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562020024.210022 https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562020024... ,	The labor market scenario for older people and the violence they suffer	Revista Brasileira de Geriatria e Gerontologia	Systematizing publications regarding the scenario of the labor market for elderly people and the situations of violence they face.
2017, Brazil ²⁶26 França LH de FP, Siqueira-Brito A da R, Valentini F, Vasques-Menezes I, Torres CV. Ageism in the organizational context - the perception of Brazilian workers. Rev bras geriatr gerontol. 2017;20(6):762–72. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562017020.170052 https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562017020... ,	Ageism in the organizational context - the perception of Brazilian workers	Revista Brasileira de Geriatria e Gerontologia	Development and validation of an instrument to measure age prejudice in the organizational context. Its results carry practical implications, one of which is the necessity for organizations to outline actions to diminish the uncertainty and perception of insecurity surrounding age.
2022, United States ²⁷27 Allen JO, Solway E, Kirch M, Singer D, Kullgren JT, Moïse V, et al. Experiences of Everyday Ageism and the Health of Older US Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(6):e2217240. Disponível em: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.17240,	Experiences of Everyday Ageism and the Health of Older US Adults	JAMA Network Open	Examine the prevalence of age prejudice and indicators of poor physical and mental health.
2020, United States ²⁸28 Deng J, Guo Y, Shi H, Gao Y, Jin X, Liu Y, et al. Effect of Discrimination on Presenteeism among Aging Workers in the United States: Moderated Mediation Effect of Positive and Negative Affect. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(4):1425. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17041425 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17041425... ,	Effect of Discrimination on Presenteeism among Aging Workers in the United States: Moderated Mediation Effect of Positive and Negative Affect	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health	It indicates how perceived everyday discrimination influences presenteeism and the relationship between discrimination and positive affect among older workers.
2017, Australia²⁹29 Kendig H, O’Loughlin K, Hussain R, Cannon L. Attitudes towards intergenerational equity: Preliminary Australian evidence. Australas J Ageing. 2017;36(2):107–11. Disponível em: 10.1111/ajag.12430,	Attitudes towards intergenerational equity: Preliminary Australian evidence	Australasian Journal on Ageing	A study based on data from national surveys, investigating the change and stability in Australian attitudes towards intergenerational equity from 2009-2010 to 2015-2017.
2017, Germany³⁰30 Stypinska, J., Turek, K. Hard and soft age discrimination: the dual nature of workplace discrimination. 2017; Eur J Ageing 14:49-61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-016-0407-y https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-016-0407-... ,	Hard and soft age discrimination: the dual nature of workplace discrimination	European Journal of Ageing	Survey on prejudice related to chronological and social age in workplace discrimination.
2019, United States³¹31 Coutinho MLP. Discriminação no Trabalho: Mecanismos de Combate à Discriminação e Promoção de Igualdade de Oportunidades. OIT Igualdade Racial.Disponível em: http://www.oitbrasil.org.br/sites/default/files/topic/discrimination/pub/oit_igualdade_racial_05_234.pd http://www.oitbrasil.org.br/sites/defaul... ,	Long-term effects of age discrimination on mental health: The role of perceived financial strain.	The Journals of Gerontology: Series B	Understanding how discrimination increases financial strain and its influence on depressive symptoms in older women.
2019, Italy³²32 Shippee TP, Wilkinson LR, Schafer MH, Shippee ND. Long-Term Effects of Age Discrimination on Mental Health: The Role of Perceived Financial Strain. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2019;74(4):664-674. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbx017 https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbx017... ,	Ageism in an aging society: The role of knowledge, anxiety about aging, and stereotypes in young people and adults	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health	To investigate the simultaneous relationships among knowledge, age, anxiety about aging, stereotypes regarding elderly people, as well as their relation to ageism.
2023, Brazil³³33 Donizzetti AR. Ageism in an Aging Society: The Role of Knowledge, Anxiety about Aging, and Stereotypes in Young People and Adults. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(8):1329. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16081329 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16081329... ,	Ageism in the Academic Career: a study with professors	Educação & Realidade	The application of the Ageism Scale in the Organizational Context indicated the presence of ageism at the Universidade Federal do Piauí, with negative and positive factors being dimensioned by age group.
2019, United States³⁴34 Viana LO, Helal DH. Ageísmo na Carreira Acadêmica: um estudo com professores universitários. Educ. Real. 2023;48:e121896. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1590/2175-6236121896vs01 https://doi.org/10.1590/2175-6236121896v... ,	When prejudice against you hurts others and me: The case of ageism at work	Journal of Applied Social Psychology	Through cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, age prejudice was examined regarding both young and old workers, and its relationship with intergroup contact, work behaviors, organizational identification, and well-being.
2022, United States³⁵35 Paleari FG, Brambilla M, Fincham FD. When prejudice against you hurts others and me: The case of ageism at work. J Appl Soc Psycho. 2019; 49(3):1–17. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12628 https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12628... ,.	Understanding the aging workforce: defining a research agenda	National Academies Press (Book)	Shows evidence of discrimination against older workers at three levels: age-related interpersonal interactions in the workplace, age-aggregated performance profiles in the workplace, and manifestations in the labor market of productivity and age-related discrimination.
2022, Canada³⁶36 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; Committee on National Statistics;Committee on Population; Committee on Understanding the Aging Workforce and Employment at Older Ages at Becker T, Fiske ST, editors. Understanding the Aging Workforce: Defining a Research Agenda. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2022.,	Testing the shielding effect of intergenerational contact against ageism in the workplace: A Canadian study.	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health	Assessing how quality intergroup contacts between younger and older workers, as well as knowledge sharing practices, reduce discriminatory attitudes.
2017, England³⁷37 Lagacé M, Donizzetti AR, Van de Beeck L, Bergeron CD, Rodrigues-Rouleau P, St-Amour A. Testing the Shielding Effect of Intergenerational Contact against Ageism in the Workplace: A Canadian Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(8):4866. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084866 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084866... ,	Age discrimination in the UK labour market. Does race moderate ageism? An experimental investigation	Applied Economics Letters	Matching test to investigate whether age prejudice is prevalent in the United Kingdom during the early stages of the hiring process.
2018, Canada³⁸38 Drydakis N, MacDonald P, Chiotis V, Somers L. Age discrimination in the UK labour market. Does race moderate ageism? An experimental investigation. Appl Econ Lett. 2017;25(1):1–4. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1080/13504851.2017.1290763 https://doi.org/10.1080/13504851.2017.12... ,	Ageism and the older worker: a scoping review	The Gerontologist	Scope review of research on aging and its implications for the employment opportunities of older workers.
2016, Slovakia³⁹39 Harris K, Krygsman S, Waschenko J, Laliberte Rudman D. Ageism and the Older Worker: A Scoping Review. Gerontologist. 2017;58(2):e1–e14. Disponível em https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnw194 https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnw194... ,	Struggles of older workers at the labour market.	Economics & Sociology	Empirical research to map the employability of older workers. The results suggest discrimination against older workers as well as the inadequacy of state employment policy in addressing older generations.
2019, United States⁴⁰40 Krajňáková E, Vojtovič S. Struggles of Older Workers at the Labour Market, Economics and Sociology. 2017;10(1):319-333. Disponível em: https://doi.org/ 10.14254/2071-789X.2017/10-1/23 https://doi.org/ 10.14254/2071-789X.2017... ,	Generational differences and multigenerational teamwork	Critical Care Nurse	Understanding the importance of the multigenerational environment and its challenges, while also identifying opportunities for creativity and mutual learning among generations.
2019, Brazil⁴¹41 Stutzer K. Generational Differences and Multigenerational Teamwork. Crit Care Nurse. 2019;39(1):78–81. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.4037/ccn2019163 https://doi.org/10.4037/ccn2019163... ,	Ageism in Organizations: Issues for Discussion	Revista de Administração IMED	Theoretical essay aiming to discuss the ageism phenomenon in the organizational environment and its influences on the aging process.
2018, United States⁴²42, Helal DH. Ageismo nas Organizações: Questões para Debate. Rev Adm IMED. 2019;9(1):187–197. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.18256/2237-7956.2019.v9i1.3167 https://doi.org/10.18256/2237-7956.2019.... ,	The impact of an aging population in the workplace	Workplace Health & Safety	Identifying the role of occupational health nurses in implementing best practices in the workplace conducive to the aging of workers.
2018, United States⁴³39 White MS, Burns C, Conlon HA. The Impact of an Aging Population in the Workplace. Workplace Health Saf. 2018;66(10):493–8. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1177/2165079917752191 https://doi.org/10.1177/2165079917752191... ,.	Work environment and the origin of ageism	Springer (Book)	Bibliographic research based on theories and findings in scientific literature about the role of organizations/companies in fostering, preserving, or reducing age prejudice within them.
2021, Brazil⁴⁵45 ML do CC, Silva JV, Terra F de S, Moreira MASP, Alves M do SCF, Sousa WCM, et al. O envelhecer contemporâneo: ônus ou bônus? A questão da “melhor idade”. RIASE. 2022;8(1):141–57. Disponível em: http://dx.doi.org/10.24902/r.riase.2022.8(1).539.141-157 https://doi.org/10.24902/r.riase.2022.8(... ,	Elderly, work and worker health in Brazil: an integrative review	Revista Brasileira de Geriatria e Gerontologia	To discuss the relationship between old age, work, and worker health in Brazil, based on an integrative review.
2021, Germany⁴⁶46 Pazos P de FB, Bonfatti RJ. Velhice, trabalho e saúde do trabalhador no Brasil: uma revisão integrativa. Rev bras geriatr gerontol. 2020;23(6):e200198. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562020023.200198 https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562020023... ,.	Challenges arising for older workers from participating in a workplace intervention addressing work ability: a qualitative study from Germany	International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health	Describe the results of a study on the experiences and expectations of older workers regarding a workplace intervention.
2021, United States⁴⁹49 Brasil. Portaria nº 1.823, de 23 de agosto de 2012. Institui a Política Nacional de Saúde do Trabalhador e da Trabalhadora. Diário Oficial da União. Brasília, 2012; 23 Ago. Disponível em: https://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/saudelegis/gm/2012/prt1823_23_08_2012.html,	Aging and the future of decent work	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.	Analyze how aspects of aging and organizational factors affect lifelong work capacity.

Universidade do Estado do Rio Janeiro Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524 - Bloco F, 20559-900 Rio de Janeiro - RJ Brasil, Tel.: (55 21) 2334-0168 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil
E-mail: revistabgg@gmail.com

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] Correspondence Priscila de Freitas Bastos Pazos prisfbastos@gmail.com

Brasil

Brasil

Elderly people, labor market, ageism, and worker health: scope review

Abstract

﻿Objective

Method

Results

Conclusion

Objective