IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ctl/louvir/2025009.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Career Arduousness and [Healthy] Life Expectancy in Europe An Assessment Based on Share and O*Net Data

Author

Listed:
  • Vincent Vandenberghe

    (UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES))

Abstract

The primary policy response to population ageing in advanced economies has been to raise the mandatory retirement age. However, these policies have reignited calls for differentiated retirement ages that take into account variations in work intensity. This paper utilises microdata to examine the relevance and feasibility of this concept in Europe. It first quantifies career arduousness using SHARE wave 7 retrospective ISCO4-digit data on careers in combination with US O*NET working conditions data. Then, using SHARE follow-up data collecting (bad)health and death information about wave 7 respondents, it estimates (healthy) life expectancy by career arduousness decile, combining econometrics and life table methods. Findings reveal a life expectancy gap between the least and most arduous careers of 4 to 4.2 years. Healthy life expectancy differences are slightly larger, ranging from 6.9 to 9.1 years. Also, women’s healthy life expectancy seems to be somewhat more impacted by arduousness.

Suggested Citation

  • Vincent Vandenberghe, 2025. "Career Arduousness and [Healthy] Life Expectancy in Europe An Assessment Based on Share and O*Net Data," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2025009, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    • Handle: RePEc:ctl:louvir:2025009
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://sites.uclouvain.be/econ/DP/IRES/2025009.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Vandenberghe, Vincent, 2024. "Partial de-annuitization of public pensions vs. retirement age differentiation: Which is best to account for longevity differences?," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 23(1), pages 111-131, January.
    2. Sanchez-Romero, Miguel & Lee, Ronald D. & Prskawetz, Alexia, 2020. "Redistributive effects of different pension systems when longevity varies by socioeconomic status," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).
    3. Alvarez, Jesús-Adrián & Kallestrup-Lamb, Malene & Kjærgaard, Søren, 2021. "Linking retirement age to life expectancy does not lessen the demographic implications of unequal lifespans," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 363-375.
    4. Antoine Bommier & Marie-Louise Leroux & Jean-Marie Lozachmeur, 2011. "Differential mortality and social security," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 44(1), pages 273-289, February.
    5. Giovanni Andrea Cornia & Frances Stewart, 1993. "Two errors of targeting," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 5(5), pages 459-496, September.
      • Giovanni Andrea Cornia & Frances Stewart, 1993. "Two Errors of Targeting," Papers iopeps93/54, Innocenti Occasional Papers, Economic Policy Series.
    6. Alain Trannoy & Sandy Tubeuf & Florence Jusot & Marion Devaux, 2010. "Inequality of opportunities in health in France: a first pass," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(8), pages 921-938, August.
    7. Mazzonna, Fabrizio, 2014. "The long-lasting effects of family background: A European cross-country comparison," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 25-42.
    8. Vandenberghe, Vincent, 2021. "Differentiating Retirement Age to Compensate for Career Arduousness," GLO Discussion Paper Series 803, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    9. Antonova, Liudmila & Bucher-Koenen, Tabea & Mazzonna, Fabrizio, 2017. "Long-term health consequences of recessions during working years," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 134-143.
    10. Belloni, Michele & Carrino, Ludovico & Meschi, Elena, 2022. "The impact of working conditions on mental health: Novel evidence from the UK," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    11. Roberto Rigobon & Thomas M. Stoker, 2007. "Estimation With Censored Regressors: Basic Issues," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 48(4), pages 1441-1467, November.
    12. Baurin, Arno, 2021. "The limited power of socioeconomic status to predict lifespan: Implications for pension policy," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).
    13. Dora L. Costa, 1998. "The Evolution of Retirement: An American Economic History, 1880-1990," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number cost98-1, July.
    14. Vandenberghe Vincent, 2021. "Differentiating retirement age to compensate for health differences," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-34, May.
    15. Huoyun Zhu & Mengting Liao, 2021. "Childhood Circumstances and Mental Health in Old Age: A Life Course Survey in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-15, June.
    16. David A. Wise, 2017. "Social Security Programs and Retirement around the World: The Capacity to Work at Older Ages," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number wise-22, July.
    17. repec:dau:papers:123456789/268 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Courtney Coile & Kevin Milligan & David A. Wise, 2017. "Introduction to "Social Security Programs and Retirement around the World: The Capacity to Work at Older Ages"," NBER Chapters, in: Social Security Programs and Retirement around the World: The Capacity to Work at Older Ages, pages 1-33, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Vincent Vandenberghe, 2023. "Career arduousness and instability: Both matter for health beyond 50," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 37(3), pages 343-384, September.
    2. Vandenberghe Vincent, 2021. "Differentiating retirement age to compensate for health differences," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-34, May.
    3. Maiken Skovrider Aaskoven & Jørgen T. Lauridsen & Trine Kjær, 2024. "Live longer, work longer? An investigation of the health capacity to work at older ages in Denmark using combined register and survey data," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 58(1), pages 1-13, December.
    4. Kim, Dohyung, 2019. "Health Capacity to Work at Older Ages in South Korea: Estimates and Implications for Public Pension Policies," KDI Journal of Economic Policy, Korea Development Institute (KDI), vol. 41(2), pages 41-58.
    5. Courtney C. Coile & Kevin Milligan & David A. Wise, 2018. "Introduction to "Social Security Programs and Retirement around the World: Working Longer"," NBER Chapters, in: Social Security Programs and Retirement around the World: Working Longer, pages 1-32, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Vandenberghe, Vincent, 2024. "Partial de-annuitization of public pensions vs. retirement age differentiation: Which is best to account for longevity differences?," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 23(1), pages 111-131, January.
    7. Courtney Coile & Kevin S. Milligan & David A. Wise, 2018. "Social Security Programs and Retirement Around the World: Working Longer – Introduction and Summary," NBER Working Papers 24584, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Filipe Costa Souza & Wilton Bernardino & Silvio C. Patricio, 2024. "How life-table right-censoring affected the Brazilian social security factor: an application of the gamma-Gompertz-Makeham model," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 1-38, September.
    9. Axel H. Börsch-Supan & Courtney Coile, 2023. "The Effects of Reforms on Retirement Behavior: Introduction and Summary," NBER Working Papers 31979, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Apostolos Davillas & Andrew M Jones, 2021. "The first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic and its impact on socioeconomic inequality in psychological distress in the UK," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(7), pages 1668-1683, July.
    11. Rocha de Jesus Fernandes, Anderson & Lanza Queiroz, Bernardo, 2024. "Aging, education and some other implications for the silver dividend in developing countries: Evidence from Brazil," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 27(C).
    12. Hou, Bo & Wang, Gewei & Wang, Yafeng & Zhao, Yaohui, 2021. "The health capacity to work at older ages in urban China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    13. Vincent VANDENBERGHE, 2021. "Health, cognition and work capacity beyond the age of 50: International evidence on the extensive and intensive margins of work," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 160(2), pages 271-310, June.
    14. Olivia S. Mitchell, 2018. "Enhancing risk management for an aging world," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance Theory, Springer;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 43(2), pages 115-136, September.
    15. Pashchenko, Svetlana & Porapakkarm, Ponpoje & Jang, Youngsoo, 2023. "Mortality Regressivity and Pension Design," MPRA Paper 117936, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Baurin, Arno, 2021. "The limited power of socioeconomic status to predict lifespan: Implications for pension policy," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).
    17. Vincent Vandenberghe, 2021. "Work beyond the age of 50. What role for mental versus physical health?," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 35(3), pages 311-347, September.
    18. Cosmo Strozza & Graziella Caselli & Viviana Egidi & Maria Rita Testa, 2024. "Ageing and diversity: Inequalities in longevity and health in low-mortality countries," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 50(12), pages 347-376.
    19. Arno Baurin, 2020. "The Limited Power of Socioeconomic Status to Predict Longevity: Implications for Pension Policy," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2020019, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    20. Courtney Coile, 2022. "Social Security and Retirement Around the World: Lessons from a Long-Term Collaboration," Working Papers 2022-02, FEDEA.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ctl:louvir:2025009. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Virginie LEBLANC (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iruclbe.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.