Occupational future time perspective and associated factors among older workers in urban communities of Bangkok, Thailand: A cross-sectional study 10.55131/jphd/2026/240318
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Thailand has become a completely aged society in 2024, with a growing proportion of older adults remaining in the workforce. However, evidence on occupational future time perspective (OFTP), which shapes motivation, work engagement, and retirement decisions, remains limited. This study examined OFTP and its subdimensions: Focus on Opportunities (FO); Perceived Remaining Time (RT); and Focus on Limitations (FL), and associated factors among older workers in urban Bangkok. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 746 adults aged ≥ 50 years in 15 urban communities between January and July 2025. OFTP was measured using the validated Thai OFTP Scale (10 items, Cronbach’s α=0.88). Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and multiple linear regression were applied. Participants’ median age was 59 years; 54.0% were female. The mean OFTP score was 3.10 ± 0.65. Younger age, better perceived health, and absence of chronic disease were positively associated with OFTP. District-level variation was observed, with Pathum Wan residents reporting lower OFTP. Findings suggest that OFTP among older urban workers is shaped by personal, health, and socioeconomic factors. Policies enhancing healthcare access and supportive urban environments are crucial for sustaining productive employment in later life.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
World Health Organization. Ageing and health 2024 [updated 1 October 2024; cited 2024 14 November 2024]. Available from: https://www.who.int/ news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health.
Clark RL, Milligan K, Newhouse JP. Changing labor market for older workers: short and long-term trends. Journal of Pension Economics and Finance. 2023;22(4):459–62.
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. OECD Employment Outlook 2025: Can We Get Through the Demographic Crunch? Paris: OECD Publishing; 2025.
National Statistical Office. Executive summary: The survey of the older population in Thailand 2024. Bangkok; 2024.
ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office. AMRO Annual Consultation Report: Thailand 2024. Singapore; 2024.
Hanvoravongchai J, Laochindawat M, Supapong S, Ratanachina J. Association of Physical Fitness With the Work Ability of Aging Workers With Physically Demanding Jobs in a University Hospital in Thailand. Safety and Health at Work. 2024;15(3):345–51.
Rueda S, Chambers L, Wilson M, Mustard C, Rourke SB, Bayoumi A, et al. Association of returning to work with better health in working-aged adults: a systematic review. Am J Public Health. 2012;102(3):541–56.
Baxter S, Blank L, Cantrell A, Goyder E. Is working in later life good for your health? A systematic review of health outcomes resulting from extended working lives. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):1356.
Ilmarinen J, Tuomi K, Klockars M. Changes in the work ability of active employees as measured by the work ability index over an 11-year period. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health. 1997(1):49–57.
Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council. The 20-Year National Strategy (2018–2037). Bangkok; 2018.
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. Bangkok Action Plan on the Elderly, Phase 3 (2023–2027). Bangkok: Chulalongkorn University Press; 2023.
Henry H, Zacher H, Desmette D. Future Time Perspective in the Work Context: A Systematic Review of Quantitative Studies. Front Psychol. 2017;8:413.
Prachuabmoh V, Milintangul C. Lessons learned from the Chula-ARi Project: Support systems for an aging society in metropolitan areas. Bangkok; 2023.
Zacher H, Frese M. Remaining time and opportunities at work: Relationships between age, work characteristics, and occupational future time perspective. Psychol Aging. 2009;24(2):487–93.
Zacher H. Older job seekers' job search intensity: the interplay of proactive personality, age and occupational future time perspective. Ageing and Society. 2013;33(7):1139–66.
National Statistical Office. Survey of the Older Persons in Thailand 2021. Bangkok: National Statistical Office; 2021.
Sakai K, Nagata T, Mori T, Sueyoshi N, Inoue S, Odagami K, et al. The individual and work-related factors associated with the occupational future time perspective: a cross-sectional study of older workers in Japan. Journal of Occupational Health. 2024;66(1): uiae032.
Topa G, Zacher H. Occupational Future Time Perspective: Psychometric Properties of a Spanish Scale. Front Psychol. 2018;9:2237.
Watermann H, Fasbender U, Klehe U-C. Withdrawing from job search: The effect of age discrimination on occupational future time perspective, career exploration, and retirement intentions. Acta Psychologica. 2023; 234:103875.
Vanajan A, Bültmann U, Henkens K. Health-related work limitations among older workers—The role of flexible work arrangements and organizational climate. The Gerontologist. 2020;60(3): 450–9.
Carstensen LL, Isaacowitz DM, Charles ST. Taking time seriously. A theory of socioemotional selectivity. Am Psychol. 1999;54(3):165–81.
Weikamp JG, Göritz AS. How Stable Is Occupational Future Time Perspective Over Time? A Six-Wave Study Across 4 Years. Work, Aging and Retirement. 2015;1(4):369–81.
Zhong S, Bian J, Chen X, Curran L, Lee C. The Role of Neighborhood Environments in Older Adults’ Social Relationships and Social Interactions: A Systematic Review. Journal of Planning Literature.0(0):0885412225 1341355.
Stewart CC, Yu L, Glover C, Mottola G, Valdes O, Wilson RS, et al. Well-Being and Aging-Related Decline in Financial and Health Literacy in Advanced Age. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. 2023;78(9): 1526–32.
Turcotte S, Kheroua S, Brun G, Gagnon L, Bustamante N, Labbé A, et al. Barriers and Facilitators to the Social Participation of Individuals Aging with a Long-Term Neurological Disability: A Scoping Review. Disabilities [Internet]. 2025; 5(2):[49 p.].
Hongsiri I, Jiamjarasrangsi W, Ratanachina J. Burnout, areas of worklife and associated factors among industrial workers: a cross-sectional study from Thailand. Psychology, Health and Medicine. 2025.
Poorirerngpoom N, Hanvoravongchai P, Ratanachina J. Mobile Health for Lifestyle Modification among Health Check-up Clients: A Qualitative Study. Asian Journal of Social Health and Behavior. 2025;8(4):207–14.
Szabo S, Apipoonyanon C, Pramanik M, Tsusaka TW, Leeson K. Agricultural Productivity, Aging Farming Workforce, Sustainable Agriculture, and Well-Being: Household Survey Data From Central Thailand. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 2021;Volume 5 - 2021.
