HEALTH AND HEALTH-CARE UTILIZATION AMONG EARLY RETIREMENT PENSIONERS WITH MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS

Objective - To estimate subjective health status among early retired i ndividuals pensioned due to disorders of the musculoskeletal system. D esign - A survey of self-reported health status and health care utiliz ation by means of a mailed questionnaire. Setting - Early retirees (ca ses) and a random sample (controls) of individuals from the municipali ty of Kristianstad, Sweden. Subjects - Cases: all individuals aged 25 - 59 years granted a full-time early retirement pension during the per iod 1986 - 1990 due to disorders of the musculoskeletal system (n=450) . The response rate was 83.6%. Controls - An age- and sex-matched samp le (n=450). The response rate was 82.7%. Main outcome measures - Self- reported health status and health care utilization. Results - Early re tirement entailed a deterioration in self-reported health status among men, all ages, and women aged 25-54 years. Female retirees aged 55-64 reported an improvement in health status since retirement. Early reti red female immigrants were less satisfied with their health status tha n the Swedish ones. Early retirees reported higher health care utiliza tion than controls, but with a reduction since retirement. Drug consum ption was high. Conclusion - The beneficial effects of early retiremen t were evident among old women. Men and young and middle-aged women ma y need support to adjust to life as a retiree. Special attention shoul d be given to the female immigrant retiree.