A Study on the Workforce exit and Psycho -Physical Condition of the Elderly in Taiwan

[[abstract]]The purpose of this paper is to study the long term relationship between the time before and after retirement and physical/mental changes in middle-age and old age people. Method: This is a longitudinal study, using the database from the Investigation of Long Term Psycho-social Status of Middle-age and Old Age Population in Taiwan, performed by the Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, R.O.C. (Taiwan) from 1996 to 2003. The main study population is people aged 50 and above, analyzed according to demographics, work condition, physical/mental status, etc. in relation to possible reasons for retirement. Statistical analyses include: descriptive statistics, chi-square test, single sample student’s T test, one-way Anova, regression analysis, etc. Results: the mean age was 64.32 years old, with a low average of education level, patients with chronic disease increases with age. Abilities for health self-examination are subjectively felt to worsen with increasing age. Using the one-way Anova analysis, we found that there was statistically significant correlation between physical/mental health and age, gender, education level, population, presence of spouse, urban dweller, and subjective economical satisfaction. With higher education levels, self assessment of general health is better, with lower risk for chronic disease, activities of daily living (ADL) are less limited, and depression scores are lower. Higher life satisfaction, more social activities and higher frequency of leisure time are also noted. As age increases, women are more likely to self assess worse health, have a higher incidence of chronic disease, and limitations of ADL are higher. Progression of diseases affects working status. Demographics and physical/mental health status also affect work status. Conclusion: our purpose was to understand whether retirement and physical/mental changes in middle-age and elderly people are affected by increasing age. Through analysis of the seven-year follow up database, we can observe the relationship between physical and mental health and employment/unemployment. We hope that our study can show a dynamic development that otherwise a cross-sectional study cannot show, and hope that it can be used as reference for future service provision and/or establishment of policy