EXPERIENCE OF PHYSICAL EXERTION AT WORK, RECOVERY AND MUSCULOSKELETAL HEALTH - ASSOCIATION TO RETIREMENT PREFERENCE IN NURSES AND ASSISTANT NURSES

Dahlgren G.¹, Wahlström J.¹, Stattin M.¹, Lewis C.¹

¹Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

Background: One method to deal with the economic burden the growing older population poses is to raise the retirement age, and most governments are moving in this direction. Health among older people, as well as fewer jobs being physically demanding imply that people over 65 are capable of contributing to the economy [1].
Nurses and assistant nurses are key professionals in health care and there is a need to retain these professionals longer in work before retirement. Both nurses and assistant nurses are exposed to a work environment which may result in high physical and mental stress in their everyday work.
Information on the relationship between desired retirement age, which is strongly correlated to actual retirement age, and physical exertion at work and recovery is scarce. It is therefore important to explore factors that may be important to retain nurses and assistant nurses longer time in work.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the possible relationship between desired retirement age for nurses and assistant nurses and ergonomic factors as well as musculoskeletal health.

Methods: Nurses (n=462) and assistant nurses (n=346) older than 55 years at the County Council of Västerbotten, Sweden, answered a questionnaire asking about retirement age preference and parameters describing physical workload as well as musculoskeletal health. Each parameter was trichotomized. One-way ANOVA analysis of variance (SPSS version 23.0.) was used to determine statistically significant differences of desired retirement age in the different levels of physical load and musculoskeletal pain. Significance was accepted at p ≤ 0.05.

Results: Retirement preference (years) significantly differed in nurses depending on the experienced level of physical exertion (mean (SD) low 64.6 (1.91), medium 63.9 (1.70) high 63.8 (1.80), p= 0.00), recovery (rarely 63.8 (2.09), sometimes 63.6 (1.71) often 64.4 (1.84), p. 0.00), control (rarely 63.6 (1.85) sometimes 64.3 (1.78) often 64.8 (2.08) p=0.00), heavy lifting (rarely 64.5 (1.79), sometimes 64.2 (1.53) often 63.6 (2.03), p=0.00), awkward postures (rarely 64.5 (1.84), sometimes 64.4 (1.59) often 63.7 (1.92) p=0.00). Retirement preference (years) significantly differed in assistant nurses depending on the experienced level of physical exertion (low 64.5 (1.62), medium 64.3 (1.71), high 63.9 (2.11), p=0.05), recovery (rarely 63.4 (2.59), sometimes 63.8 (1.96), often 64.4 (1.70), p=0.00), pain in low back (rarely 64.4 (1.83), sometimes 64.3 (1.54), often 63. 8 (2.13), p=0.04), pain in hip (rarely 64.4 (1.61), sometimes 64.5 (1.51), often 63.9 (2.11) p=0.02).

Conclusion(s): Both nurses and assistant nurses who experienced lower physical exertion during work and felt more recovered had over 6 months higher retirement age preference. Nurses who experienced control at work, less heavy lifting and less awkward postures have a higher retirement age preference. Only assistant nurses showed an association between musculoskeletal pain and retirement preference.

Implications: Physiotherapists are key when adjusting physical factors at work and it is therefore of importance for us to have knowledge about it’s association to desired retirement age.

Funding acknowledgements: The present study received financial support from the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (Forte).

Topic: Occupational health & ergonomics

Ethics approval: The study was approved by the regional Ethical Committee at Umeå University.

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