Objective: This study aimed to examine associations between cumulative years of biomechanical and psychosocial job exposures and premature labor market exit among older workers within a competing risks framework.
Methods: Using linked registry data and gender-specific job-exposure matrices, we constructed measures of cumulative years of biomechanical and psychosocial job exposures over the 30 years preceding baseline. A cohort of Norwegian workers (N=339 227) was followed from age 50 for up to 17 years, until statutory retirement age of 67 years. Fine & Gray competing risk models estimated subdistribution hazard ratios (SHR) for health-related exit, early retirement, and unemployment, stratified by gender.
Results: Several exposures were positively associated with the cumulative incidence of specific exit routes. Among men, the highest SHR per additional year of exposure were observed for standing/walking for health-related exit [SHR 1.013, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.011–1.015], low decision authority for early retirement (SHR 1.008, 95% CI 1.006–1.008), and forward bending for unemployment (SHR 1.009, 95% CI 1.005–1.013). Among women, the highest SHR were observed for standing/walking for health-related exit (SHR 1.012, 95% CI 1.010–1.015), conflicting work methods for early retirement (SHR 1.017, 95% CI 1.014–1.019), and monotonous work for unemployment (SHR 1.034, 95% CI 1.027–1.041). Several biomechanical and psychosocial [...]