NIA BSR Workshop

Economic Vulnerability, Work Across the Life Course, and Health Disparities

The pandemic has highlighted the prevalence of economic vulnerability. Measures of poverty and inequality alone are not sufficient tools for understanding the impact of the risks and uncertainty faced by individuals and households and their consequences for health and well-being. While individuals in poverty are generally considered highly vulnerable, vulnerability is multidimensional. Individuals are often navigating risk and uncertainty associated with multiple dimensions of economic security, including work, health care, and housing. Increased risk exposure in any one these areas may exacerbate vulnerability and compound disadvantage in ways that impact health and well-being disparities. This workshop will identify research gaps and opportunities as well as data and measurement needs with the goal of incorporating the concept of economic vulnerability into research on work and health.