title: The impact of involuntary exit from employment in later life on the risk of major depression and being prescribed anti-depressant medication.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Involuntary employment exit in later life has been shown to be a risk factor for poor physical and mental health. This study aims to examine the relationship between involuntary employment exit in later life and subsequent risk of reporting major depression or being prescribed anti-depressant medication (ADM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from four waves of the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH). This is a nationally representative longitudinal cohort survey of persons employed in Sweden in 2003 and 2005. The sample was restricted to respondents who had exited the labour market aged 50+ years between 2006 and 2012 (N = 1433). Major depression was measured using the Symptom Checklist Core Depression Scale (SCL-CD6). Prescription ADM redeemed from a pharmacy was based on the National Prescribed Drug Register.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After controlling for socio-demographic variables, health, health behaviours, and baseline depression, involuntary employment exit was associated with an increased risk of reporting major depression (OR 3.16; CI 1.32-7.61) and becoming newly prescribed ADM (HR 2.08; CI 1.03-4.21) compared to voluntary employment exit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Involuntary employment exit represents a risk for subsequent depression in later life. Mental health and social services ought to consider identifying these individuals for possible intervention programs to reduce the burden of depression in later life.
authors.affiliation: a Stress Research Institute , Stockholm University , Stockholm , Sweden.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hyde
authors.forename: Linda Magnusson
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Holendro Singh
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Chungkham
authors.forename: Constanze
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leineweber
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Westerlund
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012179:Retirement / Q000523:psychology*; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents
keywords: depression; general; psychological and social aspects