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How Does Retirement Affect Health?

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  • Stefanie Behncke

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of retirement on various health outcomes. Data stem from the first three waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). With this informative data, non-parametric matching methods can be applied to identify causal effects. It is found that retirement significantly increases the risk of being diagnosed with a chronic condition. In particular, it raises the risk of developing a cardiovascular disease and being diagnosed with cancer. Estimates also indicate that retirement has quite diverse effects for different individuals.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefanie Behncke, 2009. "How Does Retirement Affect Health?," University of St. Gallen Department of Economics working paper series 2009 2009-13, Department of Economics, University of St. Gallen.
    • Handle: RePEc:usg:dp2009:2009-13
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Andreas Kuhn & Jean-Philippe Wuellrich & Josef Zweim�ller, 2010. "Fatal attraction? Access to early retirement and mortality," IEW - Working Papers 499, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.
    3. Zhan Cao & Yizhou Tang, 2021. "The effect of increasing retirement age on consumption in China," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 35(2), pages 136-150, November.
    4. Frank van Erp & Niels Vermeer & Daniel van Vuuren, 2013. "Non-financial determinants of retirement," CPB Discussion Paper 243, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    5. Nivorozhkina L.I. & Abazieva K.G. & Dolbina S.V., 2019. "Impact of Contemporary Pension Reforms on Households’ Welfare," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(Special 2), pages 258-269.
    6. Gorlin, Yury (Горлин, Юрий) & Lyashok, Victor (Ляшок, Виктор) & Maleva, Tatiana (Малева, Татьяна), 2018. "Increase in Retirement Age: Positive Effects and Likely Risks [Повышение Пенсионного Возраста: Позитивные Эффекты И Вероятные Риски]," Working Papers 031804, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.
    7. Stefanie Behncke, 2012. "Does retirement trigger ill health?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(3), pages 282-300, March.
    8. Peter Hicks, 2012. "Later Retirement: the Win-Win Solution," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 345, March.
    9. Maes, Marjan & Stammen, Benjamin, 2011. "The impact of (early) retirement on the subsequent physical and mental health of the retired: a survey among general practitioners in Belgium," Working Papers 2011/03, Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel, Faculteit Economie en Management.
    10. Kajitani, Shinya, 2011. "Working in old age and health outcomes in Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 153-162.
    11. Gorlin, Yuriy M. (Горлин, Юрий М.) & Lyashok, Victor Yu. (Ляшок, Виктор Ю.) & Maleva, Tatiana M. (Малева, Татьяна М.), 2018. "Pension Age Increase: Positive Effects and the Possible Risks [Повышение Пенсионного Возраста: Позитивные Эффекты И Вероятные Риски]," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 1, pages 148-179, February.
    12. Hernán Bejarano & Hillard Kaplan & Stephen Rassenti, 2014. "Effects of Retirement and Lifetime Earnings Profile on Health Investment," Working Papers 14-21, Chapman University, Economic Science Institute.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    retirement; health; matching methods; ELSA;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies

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