title: Long-term health impacts of forced early retirement among steelworkers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies of the health impacts of retirement have not investigated the effects of forced early retirement following plant closings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a geriatric database representative of elderly people, the health impacts on employees forced to take early retirement from steel mills in the Youngstown, Ohio, area were assessed. A study group of forced early retirees was compared with two control groups: (1) regular steel industry retirees, and (2) regular retirees from jobs outside the steel industry. Utilizing multivariate analysis techniques, the effects of retirement on a number of different health measures were isolated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the long term, the health of forced retirees does not seem adversely affected by sudden job loss and unexpected retirement, at least in the steel industry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Continuity theories of retirement--that workers do not experience abrupt catastrophic changes in lifestyle and in health--best explain the lack of negative health impacts.
authors.affiliation: Family Health Center, St Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center, Youngstown, OH 44501-1790.
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Gillanders
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Buss
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wingard
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gemmel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008669:Metallurgy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009820:Ohio; D012179:Retirement; D013232:Steel
chemical_list: D013232:Steel