Illness in regional retirees
February 26, 2013
AUSTRALIANS living outside
major cities are more likely to be
fully retired due to ill-health than
people in major cities, according to
a new Sydney University study.
The study analysed self-reported
data of 21,719 women and 16,393
men from the Sax Institute's 45 and
Up Study of people aged 45 to 65
with common statistical
characteristics living in NSW.
During the study, researchers
investigated which of a wide range
of health problems are more likely
to be associated with full and
partial early retirement.
According to the research, men
and women of working age, living
in regional areas are more likely to
be fully retired because of ill health
than their city counterparts.
Looking at the breakdown
researchers noted that men from
outer regional areas were more
likely to be partially retired due to
ill-health than their city
counterparts.
Meanwhile, the proportion of
working aged men fully retired due
to ill-health in cities is five percent,
eight percent for inner regional
areas and 9 for outer regional areas.
For fully retired working aged
women the percentages were four
percent for the city, five percent for
inner regional and six percent for
outer regional areas.
Interestingly, researchers noted
that the largest association with
early retirement due to ill-health
for men and women was stroke,
followed by ‘other’ cancers (cancers
other than melanoma, skin and
breast cancer).
“Retirement is influenced by a
multitude of factors of which health
is one,” said lead author Dr Sabrina
Pit, from the Centre for Rural
Health, School of Public Health, at
the University of Sydney.
“While delaying retirement is not
always in the best interest of those
suffering illness, or their employers,
we need to find better ways to
keep people with health problems
in the workforce.
“Our research could inform health
policies for mature-age workers
aimed at reducing early retirement.
“Government spending on
pensions and disability payments
could be reduced by putting in
place more programs that
specifically address health
problems leading to early
retirement,” Dr Pit added.
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