Association between retirement age and depressive symptoms among Korean retirees: Results from Korean Retirement and Income Panel Study

Background: The effective age of retirement in South Korea is higher than the average of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Early retirement in Asia may affect mental health differently compared to western countries. Thus, we examined the association between retirement age and depressive symptoms among South Korean retirees. Methods: We used data from the 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019 Korean Retirement and Income Panel Study, including a total of 2998, 3152, 3203, 3154, and 3055 participants, respectively. We excluded those younger than 50 years, non-retirees, those without information on the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale, and those with other missing values. We used a generalized estimating equation model to identify the association between retirement age and depressive symptoms measured using the CES-D. Results: Participants who retired at age < 50 years had significantly higher CES-D scores (beta = 1.764, P = 0.0003) compared to those who retired at age >= 70 years. The negative effects of early retirement on depressive symptoms were greater among male participants, heads of households, young involuntary retirees, those who retired within the past 20 years, and those who had no difficulties in activities of daily living. Limitations: Since we evaluated the association between retirement age and depressive symptoms in one direction, there is a possibility of reverse causality. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the importance of managing depressive symptoms in early retirees, especially young involuntary retirees and those burdened with family care.