Poor health, unhealthy behaviors, and unfavorable work characteristics influence pathways of exit from paid employment among older workers in Europe: a four year follow-up study by Robroek SJW, Schuring M, Croezen S, Stattin M, Burdorf A The relative importance of poor health, physical inactivity, and lack of job control differed by pathway of labor force exit. Primary preventive interventions focusing on promoting physical activity and increasing job control may contribute to reducing exit from paid employment. To maintain a productive workforce, it should be considered to integrate health promotion with activities aimed at occupational health. 125Original article Scand J Work Environ Health. 2013;39(2):125-133. doi:10.5271/sjweh.3319 Poor health, unhealthy behaviors, and unfavorable work characteristics influence pathways of exit from paid employment among older workers in Europe: a four year follow-up study Objectives The aim of this study was to get insight into the role of poor health, unhealthy behaviors, and unfavorable work characteristics on exit from paid employment due to disability pension, unemployment, and early retirement among older workers. Methods Respondents of the longitudinal Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) in 11European countries were selected when (i) aged between 50 years and the country-specific retirement age, (ii) in paid employment at baseline, and (iii) having information on employment status during the 4-year follow-up period (N=4923). Self-perceived health, health behaviors, and physical and psychosocial work characteristics were measured by interview at baseline. Employment status was derived from follow-up interviews after two and four years. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to identify determinants of unemployment, disability pension, and early retirement.Results Poor health was a risk factor for disability pension [hazard ratio (HR) 3.90, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.51-6.05], and a lack of physical activity was a risk factor for disability pension (HR 3.05, 95% CI 1.68-5.55) and unemployment (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.13-3.01). A lack of job control was a risk factor for disability pension, unemployment, and early retirement (HR 1.30-1.77).Conclusions Poor health, a lack of physical activity, and a lack of job control played a role in exit from paid employment, but their relative importance differed by pathway of labor force exit. Primary preventive interventions focusing on promoting physical activity as well as increasing job control may contribute to reducing premature exit from paid employment.

No abstract

A considerable variation between occupations indicates that characteristics in the work situation are important when explaining the risk of disability pension. The results from this study indicate that improvements in working conditions are an important area of intervention in order to facilitate and prolong labour market participation among elderly people.

For workers in a heavy job like construction work, occupational factors are of great importance for disability pension. The majority of years lost are caused by pensions granted at ages 50 years and older.Measures to decrease disability pension should be initiated at earlier stages of work life to decrease effects of negative exposures and increase employability.

Given the increased heterogeneity of the transition from work to retirement, this study aimed to analyse the associations between different reasons for retirement and psychosocial wellbeing as a pensioner. The study used data from the Swedish Panel Survey of Ageing and the Elderly (PSAE), a nationally representative survey of the living conditions of older people in Sweden. The results show that almost one-half of all pensioners cited health problems as a contributory reason for ceasing work. Furthermore, those who retired for ' push ' reasons, such as health problems or labour market factors, experienced lower psychosocial wellbeing than those who retired for other reasons. Moreover, the results show that those who were able to influence the time of their retirement enjoyed better psychosocial wellbeing than those who had little or no opportunity to do so. This was true when controlling for other factors relevant to the wellbeing of pensioners. The results lend support to the argument that, if a man's retirement is instigated because his skills are no longer required, there will be a decidedly negative effect on his wellbeing -and that this effect is stronger than the equivalent impact on a woman's wellbeing. In relation to previous findings in this field, the results make it clear that retirement is far from a uniform process or state.KEY WORDS -psychosocial wellbeing, reasons for retirement, older people, influence on retirement.