Size of company of the longest-held job and mortality in older Japanese adults: A 6-year follow-up study from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study

• Kanamori Satoru

  School of Nursing, Tokyo Women's Medical University Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University

• Tsuji Taishi

  Department of Social Preventive Medical Sciences, Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University

• Takamiya Tomoko

  Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University

• Kikuchi Hiroyuki

  Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University

• Inoue Shigeru

  Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University

• Takagi Daisuke

  Department of Health and Social Behavior, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo

• Kai Yuko

  Physical Fitness Research Institute, Meiji Yasuda Life Foundation of Health and Welfare

• Yamakita Mitsuya

  College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Kitasato University

• Kameda Yoshito

  Department of Social Preventive Medical Sciences, Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University

• Kondo Katsunori

  Department of Social Preventive Medical Sciences, Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University Center for Well-being and Society, Nihon Fukushi University Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology

Abstract

Objectives: Very few longitudinal studies have investigated the question of whether differences in company size may give rise to health inequalities. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between company size of the longest-held job and mortality in older Japanese adults. Methods: This study used longitudinal data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. Surveys were sent to functionally independent individuals aged 65 or older who were randomly sampled from 13 municipalities in Japan. Respondents were followed for a maximum of 6.6 years. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate mortality hazard ratios (HRs) for men and for women. Analysis was carried out on 35 418 participants (197 514 person-years). Results: A total of 3935 deaths occurred during the 6-year follow-up period. Among men, in Model 1 that adjusted for age, educational attainment, type of longest-held job, and municipalities, mortality HRs decreased significantly with increasing size of company (P for trend = .002). Compared to companies with 1-9 employees, the mortality HR (0.78, 95% confidence interval: 0.68-0.90) was significantly lower for companies with 10 000 or more employees. However, there were no significant differences among women (P for trend = .41). Conclusions: In men, mortality in old age may decrease with increasing size of company of the longest-held job. To reduce health inequalities in old age due to differences in size of company, studies should be conducted to determine the underlying mechanisms and moderating factors and those findings should be reflected in labor policies and occupational health systems.

Journal

• Journal of Occupational Health

  Journal of Occupational Health 62 (1), n/a-, 2020

  Japan Society for Occupational Health

Keywords

• health status disparities
• Japan
• mortality
• occupational health

Details

• CRID: 1390002184885906048
• NII Article ID: 130007815491
• DOI: 10.1002/1348-9585.12115
• ISSN: 13489585
• ISSN: 13419145
• Web Site: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/1348-9585.12115
• Web Site: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/1348-9585.12115
• Web Site: https://academic.oup.com/joh/article-pdf/62/1/e12115/54607830/joh212115.pdf
• Web Site: https://search.jamas.or.jp/link/ui/2020343418
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
  • KAKEN
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed