ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Lifetime occupation and physical function: a prospective cohort study on persons aged 80 years and older living in a community

A Russo¹, G Onder¹, M Cesari², V Zamboni¹, C Barillaro¹, E Capoluongo³, M Pahor², R Bernabei¹, F Landi¹

¹ Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
² Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
³ Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr F Landi
Centro Medicina dell’Invecchiamento (CEMI), Istituto di Medicina Interna e Geriatria, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy; francesco_landi{at}rm.unicatt.it

Background: Several studies have reported predictors for loss of mobility and impairments of physical performance among frail elderly people.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between lifetime occupation and physical function in persons aged 80 years or older.

Methods: Data are from baseline evaluation of 364 subjects enrolled in the ilSIRENTE study (a prospective cohort study performed in a mountain community in Central Italy). Physical performance was assessed using the physical performance battery score, which is based on three timed tests: 4-metre walking speed, balance, and chair stand tests. Muscle strength was measured by hand grip strength. Lifetime occupation was categorised as manual or non-manual work.

Results: Mean age of participants was 85.9 (SD 4.9) years. Of the total sample, 273 subjects (75%) had a history of manual work and 91 subjects (25%) a history of non-manual work. Manual workers had significant lower grip strength and physical performance battery score (indicating worse performance) than non-manual workers. After adjustment for potential confounders (including age, gender, education, depression, cognitive performance scale score, physical activity, number of diseases, hearing impairment, history of alcohol abuse, smoking habit, and haemoglobin level), manual workers had significantly worse physical function (hand grip strength: non-manual workers 32.5 kg, SE 1.4, manual workers 28.2 kg, SE 0.8; physical performance battery score: non-manual workers 7.1, SE 0.4, manual workers 6.1, SE 0.2).

Conclusions: A history of manual work, especially when associated with high physical stress, is independently associated with low physical function and muscle strength in older persons.

Keywords: lifetime occupation; physical performance; aging; ilSIRENTE study

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

The effect of high physical load at work on physical function at old age

A Burdorf
Occup. Environ. Med. 2006 63: 437. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Brunner, E., Shipley, M., Spencer, V., Kivimaki, M., Chandola, T., Gimeno, D., Singh-Manoux, A., Guralnik, J., Marmot, M. (2009). Social Inequality in Walking Speed in Early Old Age in the Whitehall II Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 64A: 1082-1089 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• (2008). Functional Outcomes for Clinical Trials in Frail Older Persons: Time To Be Moving: Working Group on Functional Outcome Measures for Clinical Trials. Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 63: 160-164 [Full Text]  
• Russo, A., Cesari, M., Onder, G., Zamboni, V., Barillaro, C., Pahor, M., Bernabei, R., Landi, F. (2007). Depression and Physical Function: Results From the Aging and Longevity Study in the Sirente Geographic Area (ilSIRENTE Study). J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 20: 131-137 [Abstract]  
• Burdorf, A (2006). The effect of high physical load at work on physical function at old age.. Occup. Environ. Med. 63: 437-437 [Full Text]  
• Palmer, K. (2006). Work in brief. Occup. Environ. Med. 63: 437-437 [Full Text]