Ill-health retirement of schoolteachers in the Republic of Ireland.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the epidemiological profile and medical causes of ill-health retirement (IHR) of teachers in the Republic of Ireland.


METHODS
Medical file review of teacher IHR in Irish primary and secondary schools, between 2002 and 2005 inclusive.


RESULTS
In all, 466 employees were granted IHR between 2002 and 2005. The rate of IHR was 2.7/1000 teachers per annum, with an average age at IHR of 52 years. The most common reasons for IHR were mental disorders (46%), cancer (19%), circulatory (14%) and musculoskeletal disorders (10%).


CONCLUSIONS
The rate of IHR among Irish teachers is similar to that of other occupational groups, with psychiatric conditions, cancer and circulatory diseases as the principal causes.
Maguire
Mary
M
Civil Service Occupational Health Department, Dublin 2, Ireland.
O'Connell
Tom
T
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005178:Faculty; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012179:Retirement; D012189:Retrospective Studies