Retirement transition sequences and well-being among older workers focusing on gender differences

As older Americans experience better health conditions and are living longer, their lifestyle after retirement has become a growing concern. Workers aged 50 and older make up more than one-fifth of the labor force in 2018 and it is expected that the number will increase in the future. This trend has encouraged researchers and policy makers to study the impact of labor force participation and retirement on well-being to better understand older workers’ retirement transition experiences. The purpose of this dissertation is to expand knowledge in retirement transition and well-being in later life by understanding: (1) the retirement transition sequences by gender, (2) the related socio-demographic factors with the retirement transition sequences, and (3) the association of retirement transition with well-being in later life. Drawing on the life course perspective, this study examined retirement transition sequences by gender. Data are from the 2004 to 2016 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) with 1,653 older workers. Using the sequence analysis approach, the results of the approach used herein identify the primary patterns of retirement transition sequences in the US. In addition, Dynamic Hamming analysis enabled the mapping of retirement transition biographies in relation to potential typologies indicative of patterns of later-life employment and retirement. The majority of sequences were dominated by full-time work to mid-time voluntary retirement (18.81%) among men, followed by full-time work to early voluntary retirement (17.7%). In contrast, the most dominant group was gradual involuntary retirement (20.54%), followed by full-time work to mid-time voluntary retirement (19.68%) for women. Those who experienced involuntary retirement had a precarious work history that included part-time work and frequent job changes for both men and women. In addition, those in the involuntary full-retirement transition sequence were found to be the least socioeconomically advantaged and to suffer from poorer mental health than those who followed other trajectories. The findings are suggestive of benefits to well-being related to voluntary retirement transitions but in ways that are gendered. Downshifting from full-time work to voluntary full retirement was clearly associated with the greatest levels of well-being for both men and women, while involuntary retirement and an involuntary retirement transition were negatively associated with reduced levels of well-being, especially for women. This implies that the contexts surrounding retirement (such as family-care obligations) will play a role in determining how retirement affects well-being. The findings support the following broad conclusions: Involuntary retirement transition followed by a precarious work history is more common among older women in the US; well-being in later life varies depending on retirement transition history, including voluntariness and work history. The results suggest important gender specified implications for social policy and practice for involuntary retirees. To prevent the negative consequences related to involuntary retirement transition, multidimensional collaboration with policymakers, social work practitioners, researchers, and employers is essential. The results contribute to decreased social inequities and the promotion of successful aging in older adults.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Social Work

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Shin, OeJin (Esther)

Contributors dc:contributor

• Wu, Chi-Fang
• Andrade, Flavia
• Powell, Tara
• Park, Sojung
• Kim, BoRin

• Retirement transition sequences
• Well-being
• Sequence analysis

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2022 OeJin (Esther) Shin

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/115930

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F115930