The role of health behaviours, genetic factors, and early life environment in the association of family-related events and sustainable working life

Abstract Background Studies are limited for family-related events in relation to sustainable working life (i.e., not having long-term periods of unemployment, sickness absence and disability pension). We aimed to investigate the associations between stability and change in family life and sustainable working life and whether these associations were explained by health behaviours, genetic factors, and early life environment. Methods Register data and surveys for family-related events, sustainable working life and health behaviours of 49 611 Swedish twins were used. Cox proportional hazards regressions were applied to estimate the associations between family-related events and sustainable working life, while conditional Cox models for twin pairs accounted for confounding of genetic factors and early life environment. Further, the analyses were stratified by health behaviours. Results Change from being single living without children to married living with children was associated with sustainable working life. Moreover, individuals who experienced divorce and single individuals who changed status of living with children were less likely to experience a sustainable working life. Genetic factors and early life environment played a role in some associations. Also, those with healthy behaviours were more likely to have sustainable working life even though they had changes in family life compared to those with unhealthy behaviours. Conclusions Family formation is associated with sustainable working life whereas divorce seems to decrease the possibility of sustainable working life. Health behaviours as well as genetic factors and early life environment also need to be considered in relation to changes in family life for supporting sustainable working life.