Employment Transitions and Mental Health in a Cohort of 45 Years and Older Australians

Vikas Arya, Sandro Sperandei, Matthew J. Spittal and Andrew Page
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Vikas Arya: Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2571, Australia
Sandro Sperandei: Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2571, Australia
Matthew J. Spittal: Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
Andrew Page: Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2571, Australia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 17, 1-9

Abstract: Background: This study investigated the associations between employment transitions and psychological distress among a cohort of 45 years and older Australians. Methods: This study was based on the 45 and Up Study, a large prospective cohort of participants aged 45 years and older (N = 267,153), followed up over the period 2006–2015. The risk of psychological distress was compared between various employment transitions categories by specifying an ordered logistic regression model adjusting for confounders. Results: Compared to participants who remained employed at baseline and follow-up, higher psychological distress was found among those who transitioned from being employed to unemployed (OR = 2.68, 95%CI 2.13–3.33) and to not being in the labour force or retired (OR = 2.21, 95%CI 1.85–2.62). Higher psychological distress was also evident among those who remained unemployed from baseline to follow-up (OR = 2.00, 95%CI 1.10–3.43), and those who transitioned from being retired to being unemployed (OR = 1.55, 95%CI 1.03–2.27). Conversely, lower psychological distress was found among those who transitioned from being unemployed to being employed (OR = 0.35, 95%CI 0.25–0.51). In general, lower psychological distress was found among ‘positive’ employment transitions (transitioning to being employed or retired). Conclusions: Policies focussing on re-employment in older age, as well as unemployment schemes, might be helpful in reducing psychological distress among middle- and old-age Australians.

Keywords: mental health; employment transitions; psychological distress; unemployment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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