COLLEGE PARK, Md., Oct 15, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Retirees who work a
temporary or part-time job have fewer major diseases and are able to function
better, U.S. researchers said.
Study co-author Mo Wang of the University of Maryland and colleagues examined
the national Health and Retirement study, sponsored by the National Institute on
Aging. They used data from 12,189 participants who were between the ages of
51-61 at the beginning of the study.
The study participants were interviewed every two years over a six-year period
beginning in 1992 about their health, finances, employment history and work or
retirement life.
The findings showed that people whose post-retirement jobs were related to their
previous careers reported better mental health than those who fully retired.
However, these mental health improvements were not found among retirees who
worked in jobs outside their previous career field.
The authors speculate retirees who take jobs not related to their career field
may need to adapt to a different work environment or job conditions, resulting
in higher levels of stress.
The findings were published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.
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