Occupation and labor force participation across the life course: implications for cognitive functioning in later life

The National Institute on Aging awarded Vanderbilt University $317,000 on June 15, 2026, for a Project Grant (R03AG093512) under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866) to evaluate the joint implications of occupational characteristics and labor force participation across the life course for cognitive functioning in later life.

The research constructs parallel trajectories of occupational characteristics and labor force participation to document how employment histories are associated with cognitive outcomes in older adults. The project addresses a critical gap in prior research that treated labor force participation and occupation separately, despite their apparent dynamic and synergistic relationship. All analyses are stratified by sex, recognizing that employment histories and cognitive outcomes differ between men and women, and educational attainment is examined as a potential buffer against negative associations of lower-quality occupations and reduced labor force engagement.

Performance occurs in Nashville, Tennessee, with a period of performance from June 15, 2026, through May 31, 2028.

Abstract

Approximately 6.5 million americans over 65 are currently living with alzheimer's disease and related dementias (adrd) and this number is expected to double by 2060. There is a critical need to understand the modifiable risk factors that unfold across the life course to influence cognitive decline and disease onset. Emerging research demonstrates that occupation and labor force participation play an important role for cognitive health. People who have engaged extensively with the labor market, especially in higher quality jobs, have better cognitive outcomes later in life. A limitation of prior research is that labor force participation and occupation are often considered separately, despite the apparent dynamic and synergistic relationship between the two. This limitation obscures our understanding of how work-related factors are linked across the life course, with implications for cognitive functioning. The overarching goal of this project is to evaluate the joint implications of occupational characteristics and labor force participation over the life course for cognitive functioning in later life. Specifically, this project aims to: 1) construct parallel trajectories of occupational characteristics and labor force participation across the life course and 2) document how employment trajectories are associated with cognitive functioning in later life. Because employment histories differ for men and women and women experience lower levels of cognitive functioning in later life than men, we will stratify all analyses by SEX. Moreover, because educational attainment has robust associations with employment histories and cognitive health, we will examine how education sorts individuals into favorable employment trajectories and potentially buffers against the negative associations of lower quality occupations and/or low labor force engagement with cognitive functioning. This project will leverage a uniquely rich source of life course employment data from the health and retirement study (HRS) life history mail survey (lhms) alongside the longitudinal HRS core data, a nationally representative study of U.S. Adults over age 50. The proposed project is significant and timely given the need to understand the complex, interrelated factors linking employment with cognitive health. This project will elucidate how labor force participation and occupational characteristics unfold throughout the life course, creating unique risk profiles for cognitive functioning for women and for men. Moreover, examining variation in life course trajectories of labor force participation and occupation by educational attainment can point to benefits of education for cognitive health above and beyond the creation of cognitive reserve early in life. This knowledge will inform ad/adrd research and efforts to reduce dementia risk in the population.