Previous Job and Health at the Age of 70

Abstract

The influence of previous job on health at the age of 70 has been investigated in two representative contrast groups belonging to the population study “70-year-olds in Gothenburg”. Anamnestic information, clinical and laboratory data were compared in probands with sedentary work and with arduous manual work. An increased incidence of traumatic injury and an inability to hear whispering at a distance of 5 meters were observed among the heavy workers. In this group, there was also a statistically significantly increased frequency of cyanosis, dyspnea, and post-inflammatory sequelae found on X-ray examination, even if an association between facial cyanosis and exposure to wide ranging atmospheric temperatures and ultraviolet irradiation must be considered. Although the blood pressure levels were almost identical the comparison between the two contrast groups showed an increased incidence of hypertension configuration of the heart and an elongation of the aorta among the manual workers. Thus, the main differences indicated that arduous work was associated with increased risk of traumatic injury, impaired hearing and a certain pulmonary dysfunction, whereas no difference was found in the prevalence of circulatory diseases and diseases of the back and peripheral joints, for example. A very generalized conclusion might be that in the group of elderly people having survived to the age of 70 previous job had not markedly influenced their state of health.