Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117569

James W. Grosch, PhD, Rashaun K. Roberts, PhD, and Paula L. Grubb, PhD. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 4676 Columbia Parkway, MS-C24, Cincinnati, OH 45226, 513-533-8167, jkg9@cdc.gov

This study examined changes in perceived workplace age discrimination occurring in the U.S. between 1977 and 2002. In addition, multiple logistic regression was used to investigate the association between age discrimination and nine different measures of health and well-being. Data for this study came from two nationally representative surveys of adults: the Quality of Employment Survey (QES), conducted in 1977, and the General Social Survey (GSS), conducted in 2002. Both surveys were administered as face-to-face interviews and asked the same “yes or no” question of respondents concerning age discrimination: “Do you feel in any way discriminated against on your job because of your age?” Results indicated that during this 25-year period, discrimination due to age increased from 6.0% to 8.4% for workers overall, and from 11.6% to 16.9% for workers 65 years and older. In both national surveys, workplace age discrimination displayed a “U-shaped” relationship with the respondent's age, with the highest percentages occurring for younger (18-29) and older (55+) workers and the lowest percentages occurring for middle aged (30-49) workers. Controlling for gender and ethnicity, multiple logistic regression found that age discrimination was a significant risk factor for several adverse health outcomes, including poor general health, injury at work, back pain, poor mental health, and low job satisfaction. Furthermore, these associations were significantly stronger for workers 40 years or older. The results of this study are discussed in terms of previous research on age discrimination and methodological issues involved in linking age discrimination to health outcomes.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Describe how perceived age discrimination in the workplace has changed between 1977 and 2002.
• Identify different health outcomes that may be impacted by age discrimination.
• Discuss methodological issues that need to be considered in linking workplace age discrimination to health outcomes.

Keywords: Aging, Special Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.