Impact of Working Life Career and Night Work on Life Expectancy. Male Mortality Risk in the 1924-1949 Cohorts in Austria

The study points out clear links between life expectancy and income level. Based on (anonymised) personal data obtained from the Federation of Austrian Social Insurance Institutions, working life careers of males of the 1924-1949 cohorts were examined and tested for links to their life expectancy. The investigation also extended to the extent to which life expectancy among heavy workers differs from that of other workers. It found that life expectancy in Austria is higher among white- than among blue-collar workers. At 78, the median age of death (of persons who have lived at least to 57) is about 5 years lower for blue- than for white-collar workers. Males who did more hours of heavy work at night showed an above-agerage life expectancy, due possibly to selection effects (healthy worker effect) as well as to the special health protection accorded to this group. The findings of a sector-specific study strongly point at the assumption that workers in relatively low-skilled and burdensome jobs have a lower life expectancy than those working in a highly skilled job. The study also found a positive correlation between income and life expectancy. The extent to which gaps in life expectancy rates are affected by working conditions or by other factors (lifestyle choices) cannot be finally identified by this study.