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. 2012 Apr;54(4):497-503.
doi: 10.1097/JOM.0b013e318247a379.

Health status and risk indicator trends of the aging US health care workforce

David J Lee  1 , Lora E Fleming, William G LeBlanc, Kristopher L Arheart, Kenneth F Ferraro, Marcie Pitt-Catsouphes, Carles Muntaner, Cristina A Fernandez, Alberto J Caban-Martinez, Evelyn P Davila, Frank C Bandiera, John E Lewis, Diana Kachan
Affiliations

Health status and risk indicator trends of the aging US health care workforce

David J Lee et al. J Occup Environ Med. 2012 Apr.

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the health status and risk indicator trends in a representative sample of US health care workers aged 45 years and older.

Methods: Using pooled data from the 1997 to 2009 National Health Interview Survey, logistic regression analyses were performed to determine whether age-group specific morbidity risks differed within occupational subgroups of the health care workforce (N = 6509). Health and morbidity trends were examined via complex survey adjusted and weighted chi-squared tests.

Results: Rates of functional limitation and hypertension increased among diagnosing/assessing health care workers. The prevalence of hearing impairment, cancer, and hypertension was two to three times greater in health-diagnosing/assessing workers aged 60 years and older than in younger workers. Health care service workers were up to 19 times more likely to be obese than workers who diagnose/assess health.

Conclusions: Healthier workplaces and targeted interventions are needed to optimize the ability to meet health care demands of this aging workforce.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Trends in the prevalence of functional limitations (panel a), obesity (panel b), and hypertension (panel c), in US healthcare workers 45 years of age and older: The 1997–2009 National Health Interview Surveys
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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