Effects of Employment Status and Motivations on the Onset of Social Isolation in Old Age: A 2.5-year Longitudinal Study.

Introduction: Although prior research has investigated the health benefits of paid work in old age, its effect on social isolation, a crucial societal issue, remains unclear. Moreover, not only employment status but also the motivation for working may play a vital role in understanding social isolation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of employment status and motivations on the onset of social isolation in older Japanese people. Methods: Longitudinal data were collected from self-administered questionnaire surveys of residents aged 65 and older dwelling in an area in Ota Ward in the Tokyo Metropolitan area in 2015 (baseline) and 2018 (follow-up). This study included 1,556 participants who were not socially isolated at baseline. Social isolation was defined as face-to-face or non-face-to-face interactions occurring less than once per week. Employment status was categorized as having or not having paid work, whereas motivations for working were classified as "financial reasons only," "non-financial reasons only (such as health, ikigai, social contribution, and social connection)," or "both financial and non-financial reasons." Results: Among the total participants (men: 38.2%, average age: 72.9 years), 36.1% were employed at baseline, and 20.1% became socially isolated at follow-up. A binary logistic regression analysis with the adjustment for potential covariates showed no significant association between employment status and the onset of social isolation. However, individuals who worked only for financial reasons were more likely to experience social isolation than were those who did not work or worked for non-financial reasons. Conclusions: Although employment status was not directly associated with social isolation, the motivations for working influenced its onset. Non-financial motivations for work in later life may reduce the risk of social isolation.