Importance of the Working Environment for Early Retirement: Prospective Cohort Study with Register Follow-Up.

BACKGROUND

This study investigates the role of physical work demands and psychosocial work factors for early retirement among older workers.

METHODS

Data from three Danish surveys on work environment and health among employed older workers (age 55-59) were merged with a national register containing information on labour market participation. Robust Poisson regression modelled the risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between physical and psychosocial work factors and early retirement, that is, not working after the age of 64.

RESULTS

Of the 2800 workers, 53% retired early. High physical work demands (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.19-1.48), poor overall psychosocial working conditions (RR 1.43, 95% CI 1.26-1.61), and access to early retirement benefits (RR 1.79, 95% CI 1.53-2.10) predicted early retirement. Subgroup analyses revealed that poor overall psychosocial working conditions were a stronger predictor for early retirement among workers with seated jobs than those with physically active jobs.

CONCLUSIONS

High physical work demands and poor psychosocial working conditions are factors that can push older workers out of the labour market prematurely. Poor psychosocial working conditions seem to be a particularly strong push factor among workers with seated work.