Racial and Ethnic Differences in Lifetime Work Environment Exposures and Early Disability Retirement

A large research literature attests to the important role of work in human health. Less research has investigated the potential role of work environments as a key factor shaping racial and ethnic health disparities. Work environments that are physically demanding, stressful, and hazardous are typically associated with earlier onset of physical health decline that may be associated with increased risk of early retirement due to disability. No research to date, however, has examined how differential exposure to work environments are associated with early disability retirement among Black, Hispanic, whites individuals. We use data from the Health and Retirement Study Life History Mail survey linked to information on work environments from the Occupational Information Network to characterize potentially harmful lifetime work contexts. We find that a wide range of harmful work environments are associated with early disability retirement, at or before age 62. Black workers are more likely than white workers to retire due to disability and are exposed to higher average levels of hazardous work environments over their careers. Lifetime average occupational exposures account for some of the association between race and early disability retirement. Findings related to ethnicity were inconclusive. Eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in disability may hinge in part on understanding the role of potentially modifiable aspects of the work environment.