Abstract
PurposeThe research aim was to identify demographic characteristics, chronic diseases, and unhealthy behaviors predicting ill health retirement in South Korea.MethodsData were collected from 15,407 individuals enrolled in the first through the fifth phases of the Korea Health Panel Survey (2008–2012) using structured questionnaires examining retirement, morbidities, and health-related behaviors. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine demographic and clinical characteristics’ effects on ill health retirement. Lost years of working life expectancy were calculated for demographic and clinical characteristics.ResultsOlder, female, and manual workers were more likely to experience ill health retirement, as were respondents reporting poor health-related habits (e.g., heavy drinking, irregular meals, less sleep hours, obesity, and no regular exercise). The chronic diseases most closely associated with ill health retirement were, in order, psychiatric disease, ophthalmologic disease, neurologic disease, infectious disease, and musculoskeletal diseases. The average reduction in working life expectancy was 9.73 years.ConclusionsOur study results can help contribute to the development of strategies for reducing the risk of ill health retirement and promoting sustainable labor force participation in an aging society.
Highlights
An aging population is an important challenge confronted by most industrial countries [1]
The chronic diseases most closely associated with ill health retirement were, in order, psychiatric disease, ophthalmologic disease, neurologic disease, infectious disease, and musculoskeletal diseases
Our study results can help contribute to the development of strategies for reducing the risk of ill health retirement and promoting sustainable labor force participation in an aging society
Summary
An aging population is an important challenge confronted by most industrial countries [1]. While life expectancy has increased with the improvement of health status and overall living conditions in most developed Western countries, older workers retire earlier than before [2]. This tendency is rarely sustainable due to financial pressures and is incompatible with labor deficiencies in an aging society. The relationship between unemployment and health is quite strong, and considerable research has been published on this issue. Retirement has become a social issue related to public health and social welfare in a bid to balance the timing between early labor force exits and the pension budget. It is important to identify specific factors affecting early retirement in order to reduce the risk of early retirement
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