Katey Matthews

PhD Student

 

Email: katey.matthews@manchester.ac.uk

CCSR
School of Social Sciences
Humanities Bridgeford Street
University of Manchester
MANCHESTER
M13 9PL

The Health Effects of Later-Life Employment

 

Summary of PhD topic

This research considers the effects of employment beyond the statutory retirement age on various health outcomes, including depression and common mental health disorders, self-rated health and weight and BMI. Retirement has traditionally been associated with improved levels of mental health. However, with ever-increasing numbers of people continuing to work beyond the statutory retirement age, questions must be asked as to whether or not this may be detrimental to health.

Research questions

Do later-life employees have better or worse health than their retired peers of the same age, and what are the reasons for these differences?

How does the social gradient affect the health of later-life employees? Do older workers in disadvantaged occupational classes display poorer health than those who are retired, as opposed to older workers in professional occupational classes? Is health improved in retirement regardless of occupational class?

Methods and Data

Longitudinal data from two sources will be used: the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (nationally representative, 4 waves of data) and the Whitehall II Cohort Study (British civil servants, 10 waves of data).

Initially, a systematic review of literature on the topic will be carried out in order to establish the general direction and magnitude of effects of later-life employment on various health outcomes. Subsequently, a meta-analysis of results will be run, focusing on depressive symptomatology and self-rated health. Longitudinal data analysis using data from these two studies will analyse the effects of later-life employment on health. Propensity score matching will be used in order to control for possible bias, and to effectively compare both later-life employed and retired groups. Specific health outcomes to be considered in this analysis will include depressive and common mental disorders, cognitive functioning, self-rated health, physical functioning and difficulties with activities of daily living, and weight and BMI.