Long-term health impacts of forced early retirement among steelworkers.

BACKGROUND

Previous studies of the health impacts of retirement have not investigated the effects of forced early retirement following plant closings.

METHODS

Using a geriatric database representative of elderly people, the health impacts on employees forced to take early retirement from steel mills in the Youngstown, Ohio, area were assessed. A study group of forced early retirees was compared with two control groups: (1) regular steel industry retirees, and (2) regular retirees from jobs outside the steel industry. Utilizing multivariate analysis techniques, the effects of retirement on a number of different health measures were isolated.

RESULTS

Over the long term, the health of forced retirees does not seem adversely affected by sudden job loss and unexpected retirement, at least in the steel industry.

CONCLUSIONS

Continuity theories of retirement--that workers do not experience abrupt catastrophic changes in lifestyle and in health--best explain the lack of negative health impacts.