Predicting Factors of the Preparation for Active Aging Among Workers in an Industrial Area, Chonburi Province

Abstract

Preparing the working-age population for quality aging can significantly reduce their long-term dependency in communities. This predictive correlational study aimed to investi- gate readiness for quality aging and its predictors, including personal, economic, social, and environmental factors. The sample consisted of 151 working-age individuals aged 40-59 years from industrial areas in Chonburi Province, selected through cluster random sampling. The research instrument was a questionnaire comprising six sections: 1) personal information, 2) work conditions, 3) attitudes toward aging, 4) health threats, 5) workplace policies, and 6) readiness for quality aging. The questionnaire demonstrated content validity indices of .88, .86, .97, and .82, with reliability coefficients of .88, .75, .88, and .93, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression analysis.

The findings revealed that the overall readiness for quality aging among the workers was high (M = 3.88, SD = 1.10). Economic preparedness was the most prominent, followed by social, physical health, and mental health aspects. The significant predictors of readiness for quality aging were workplace policies (β = -0.197) and job position (β = 0.195), collec- tively accounting for 8.0% of the variance in readiness (R² = 0.080, F = 6.452, p < 0.01).

Therefore, community health nurses or occupational health nurses can apply these findings by promoting exemplary readiness behaviors among supervisory staff and organizing activities that support physical and mental health preparedness for aging individuals in the workforce.