Abstract
This study examines how various aspects of precarious employment impact the mental and physical health of older women as working lives extend. The rapid increase in employment and evolving retirement patterns of older women may significantly affect how they live and their retirement experiences. Precarity, forced employment, in-work poverty, and low-quality jobs are becoming increasingly common among older women. We conceptualize precarity as a multidimensional condition, encompassing both objective and subjective aspects. This framework accounts for social embeddedness (e.g., family and social network support) and life-course career developments, including accumulating disadvantage, a history of insecurity, and future time perspective. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) is used to develop a novel measure of precarious work, utilizing data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). This method identifies latent patterns in precarious work by integrating objective (e.g., employment contract), subjective (e.g., job insecurity, control at work), and social situation (e.g., household income) dimensions. Health outcomes—both mental and physical—are analyzed with a focus on gender-specific effects among older workers. Preliminary analyses indicate that precarious work is a multidimensional construct linked to adverse health outcomes. Gender differences are anticipated, with older women likely experiencing more severe negative effects due to intersecting vulnerabilities such as lower job security, caregiving roles, and limited access to resources shaped by gender norms. This study offers a comprehensive conceptualization of precarious work in later life and introduces a latent-based approach to its measurement, providing insights for improving employment conditions and mitigating health risks for older women.
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Economic and Demographic Perspectives on Aging
KEYWORDS
Precarious work, Older workers, Gendered health outcomes
