Job transitions and mental health outcomes among US adults aged 55 and older during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abrams, Leah R; Finlay, Jessica M; Kobayashi, Lindsay C

OBJECTIVES: Adults around retirement age are especially vulnerable to the effects of the recent economic downturn associated with COVID-19. This study investigated disturbances to working life and mental health among Americans aged ≥55 during early months of the pandemic. METHODS: Using data from the nation-wide COVID-19 Coping Study (N=6,264), we examined rates of job loss, furloughs, hour/income reductions, and work-from-home, along with unchanged work status, by age, gender, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and occupation. We next described sources of worry by job transition group and tested the adjusted associations of COVID-19-related job transitions with life satisfaction, loneliness, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: Most job loss occurred among respondents under age 65 and those without college degrees. Job loss and reduced hours/income were more common among Hispanics compared to other racial/ethnic groups, and work-from-home transitions were most common among respondents with high educational attainment and jobs in government- and education-related occupations. Workers who lost their jobs had the lowest life satisfaction and the highest loneliness and depressive symptoms, followed by workers who were furloughed and workers with reduced hours/income. Work-from-home was associated with more anxiety than unchanged work. DISCUSSION: COVID-19-related job transitions are detrimental to mental health, even when they might keep workers safe. These results enhance our understanding of the potentially long-term mental health effects of social and economic aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight the need for economic and mental health support for aging Americans.