<p>I did a little search and found an article by Moen (1996) which seems relevant. 
Moen summarised the existing evidence as follows:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Poor physical health is frequently a reason for retiring (Anderson &amp;
  Burkhauser, 1985; Bound, 1991; Chirikos &amp; Nestel, 1989; Palmore,
  Burchett, Filenbaum, George, &amp; Wallman, 1985), leading to a view of a
  unidirectional link between health and retirement (see Figure 1). In
  support of this one-way model, most of the existing research
  literature has shown that retirement per se is not directly related to
  early mortality or health decline. However, there is some evidence
  that being retired affects psychological symptoms (Bosse, Aldwin,
  Levenson, Spiro, &amp; Mroczek, 1993; Ekerdt, 1987). Other studies show
  that retired individuals sometimes report improvements in their
  (subjectively rated) health status following retirement (Ekerdt,
  Bosse, &amp; Locastro, 1983). Most early research on retirement suggests
  that being retired has no deleterious effects on either physical or
  psychological health; most retirees say they are satisfied with their
  retirement and some even report better health (Atchley, 1976; Barfield
  &amp; Morgan, 1968; McGoldrick &amp; Cooper, 1989; Streib &amp; Schneider, 1971).
  However, research on the effects of the loss of the work role through
  retirement often ignores the complexity of the retirement transition,
  including issues of timing, previous health, and quality of the
  employment experience (McGoldrick &amp; Cooper, 1988). George (1993)
  pointed out that most research on stress and well-being fails to
  consider either the social contexts or the timing of potentially
  stressful life experiences, such as retirement.</p>
</blockquote>

<h3>References</h3>

<ul>
<li>Anderson, K. H., &amp; Burkhauser, R. V. (1985). The
retirement-health nexus: A new measure of an old puzzle.
The Journal of Human Resources, 20, 315-330.</li>
<li>Atchley, R. (1976). The sociology of retirement. New York:
Schenkman.</li>
<li>Barfield, R., &amp; Morgan, J. N. (1968). Early retirement: The
decision and the experiences. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for
Social Research.</li>
<li>Bound, J. (1991). Self-reported objective measures of health
in retirement models. The Journal of Human Resources,
26, 108-137.</li>
<li>Bosse,  R., Aldwin, C. M., Levenson, M. R., Spiro, A., &amp;
Mroczek, D. K. (1993). Change in social support after
retirement: Longitudinal findings from the normative
aging study. Journal of Gerontology, 48, 210-217.</li>
<li>Chirikos, T. N., &amp; Nestel, G. (1989). Occupation, impaired
health, and the functional capacity of men to continue
working. Research on Aging, 11, 174-205.</li>
<li>Ekerdt, D. J. (1987). Why the notion persists that retirement
harms health. Gerontologist, 27, 454-^57.</li>
<li>Ekerdt, D. J., Bosse, R., &amp; Locastro, J. S. (1983). Claims that
retirement improves health. Journal of Gerontology, 38,
231-236.</li>
<li>George, L. K. (1993). Sociological perspectives on life
transitions. Annual Review of Sociology, 19, 353-373.</li>
<li>McGoldrick, A., &amp; Cooper, C. (1988). Early retirement.
Chichester, England: Gower</li>
<li>Moen, P. (1996). A Life Course Perspective on Retirement, Gender, and Well-Being. <em>Journal of Occupational Health Psychology</em>, 1, 131-144.</li>
<li>Palmore, E. B., Burchett, B. M., Filenbaum, G. G., George,
L. K., &amp; Wallman, L. M. (1985). Retirement: Causes and
consequences. New York: Springer.</li>
<li>Streib, G. F, &amp; Schneider, C. J. (1971). Retirement in
American society. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-07T05:40:02.867Z
2012-06-07T05:40:02.867Z
Jeromy Anglim
<p>There is evidence that people who retire early tend to die earlier than people who do not. One interpretation of this finding is that having a sense of purpose improves psychological health and that psychological health is linked to physical health. </p>

<p>What is the evidence for the validity or invalidity of this interpretation? (I am equally interested in the validity of this interpretation with respect to early retirement and with respect to other measures/correlates of purpose.)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="http://longevity.about.com/od/healthyagingandlongevity/a/retirement.htm" rel="noreferrer">http://longevity.about.com/od/healthyagingandlongevity/a/retirement.htm</a></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-06T15:52:26.097Z
Perhaps this could be a cognitive sciences question but, as it is, it sounds much more like it fits better into other categories (stats, epidemiology).  Try rewording it to having something to do with psychology, neuroscience, or psychiatry. (and read the FAQ)
John
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-06T20:21:45.340Z
I edited the question to highlight a possible psychological explanation of the finding. Health psychologists might be interested in this sort of finding and in its interpretation.
Chris
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-06T21:07:30.493Z
In a way, psych health is just health; are you talking more specifically about psychological stress having an effect on longevity?  I think that's more clearly on topic
Zelda
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-06T21:18:04.740Z
Not really. I am just assuming that the link between psychological and health outcomes is on topic. I realize that others may reasonably disagree.
Chris
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-06T21:36:38.227Z
On topic yes, I voted to close your original question because there wasn't an apparent psychological root. I still think it could be improved a bit but the effect of psychological changes on health is on topic
Zelda
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-06T21:41:01.867Z
I think this restatement is on-topic, and I have voted to reopen (and removed my downvote). However, I think the question could still be improved by connecting it better to what is already known, because an about.com article is not that much [initial research](http://meta.cogsci.stackexchange.com/q/66/29).
Artem Kaznatcheev
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-06T23:40:39.970Z
I think the original question was on topic. Exploring links between longevity and life experiences is related to epidemiology but it also links in closely with health psychology and research on well-being, which are presumably on topic. The title of the question is now different to the body of the question. and the question in the body about retirement can be more objectively answered.
Jeromy Anglim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-07T00:12:21.540Z
While one could have interpreted the initial question within a psychological context it certainly was not 'on topic'.  Just because you could interpret a question psychologically, or come up with a psychological explanation, doesn't make it an on topic question until it's written that way.  For example is the following on topic? "What causes heart disease?"  Wouldn't a physiological answer be reasonable? Or is it the job of answerers to keep the site on topic?  I don't get that from reading the FAQ.
John
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-07T10:35:51.147Z
Thanks for suggestions all. I agree that original question was not clearly on topic.
Chris
<aging><well-being><health-psychology>
Does having a sense of purpose increase longevity?
Chris
# Does having a sense of purpose increase longevity?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-06-06)

There is evidence that people who retire early tend to die earlier than people who do not. One interpretation of this finding is that having a sense of purpose improves psychological health and that psychological health is linked to physical health.

What is the evidence for the validity or invalidity of this interpretation? (I am equally interested in the validity of this interpretation with respect to early retirement and with respect to other measures/correlates of purpose.)

> <http://longevity.about.com/od/healthyagingandlongevity/a/retirement.htm>

**Tags:** aging, well-being, health-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Perhaps this could be a cognitive sciences question but, as it is, it sounds much more like it fits better into other categories (stats, epidemiology).  Try rewording it to having something to do with psychology, neuroscience, or psychiatry. (and read the FAQ)  
> **username_0**: I edited the question to highlight a possible psychological explanation of the finding. Health psychologists might be interested in this sort of finding and in its interpretation.  
> **username_2**: In a way, psych health is just health; are you talking more specifically about psychological stress having an effect on longevity?  I think that's more clearly on topic  
> **username_0**: Not really. I am just assuming that the link between psychological and health outcomes is on topic. I realize that others may reasonably disagree.  
> **username_2**: On topic yes, I voted to close your original question because there wasn't an apparent psychological root. I still think it could be improved a bit but the effect of psychological changes on health is on topic  
> **username_3**: I think this restatement is on-topic, and I have voted to reopen (and removed my downvote). However, I think the question could still be improved by connecting it better to what is already known, because an about.com article is not that much [initial research](http://meta.cogsci.stackexchange.com/q/66/29).  
> **username_4**: I think the original question was on topic. Exploring links between longevity and life experiences is related to epidemiology but it also links in closely with health psychology and research on well-being, which are presumably on topic. The title of the question is now different to the body of the question. and the question in the body about retirement can be more objectively answered.  
> **username_1**: While one could have interpreted the initial question within a psychological context it certainly was not 'on topic'.  Just because you could interpret a question psychologically, or come up with a psychological explanation, doesn't make it an on topic question until it's written that way.  For example is the following on topic? "What causes heart disease?"  Wouldn't a physiological answer be reasonable? Or is it the job of answerers to keep the site on topic?  I don't get that from reading the FAQ.  
> **username_0**: Thanks for suggestions all. I agree that original question was not clearly on topic.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2012-06-07. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

I did a little search and found an article by Moen (1996) which seems relevant.
Moen summarised the existing evidence as follows:

> Poor physical health is frequently a reason for retiring (Anderson &
> Burkhauser, 1985; Bound, 1991; Chirikos & Nestel, 1989; Palmore,
> Burchett, Filenbaum, George, & Wallman, 1985), leading to a view of a
> unidirectional link between health and retirement (see Figure 1). In
> support of this one-way model, most of the existing research
> literature has shown that retirement per se is not directly related to
> early mortality or health decline. However, there is some evidence
> that being retired affects psychological symptoms (Bosse, Aldwin,
> Levenson, Spiro, & Mroczek, 1993; Ekerdt, 1987). Other studies show
> that retired individuals sometimes report improvements in their
> (subjectively rated) health status following retirement (Ekerdt,
> Bosse, & Locastro, 1983). Most early research on retirement suggests
> that being retired has no deleterious effects on either physical or
> psychological health; most retirees say they are satisfied with their
> retirement and some even report better health (Atchley, 1976; Barfield
> & Morgan, 1968; McGoldrick & Cooper, 1989; Streib & Schneider, 1971).
> However, research on the effects of the loss of the work role through
> retirement often ignores the complexity of the retirement transition,
> including issues of timing, previous health, and quality of the
> employment experience (McGoldrick & Cooper, 1988). George (1993)
> pointed out that most research on stress and well-being fails to
> consider either the social contexts or the timing of potentially
> stressful life experiences, such as retirement.

### References

* Anderson, K. H., & Burkhauser, R. V. (1985). The
  retirement-health nexus: A new measure of an old puzzle.
  The Journal of Human Resources, 20, 315-330.
* Atchley, R. (1976). The sociology of retirement. New York:
  Schenkman.
* Barfield, R., & Morgan, J. N. (1968). Early retirement: The
  decision and the experiences. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for
  Social Research.
* Bound, J. (1991). Self-reported objective measures of health
  in retirement models. The Journal of Human Resources,
  26, 108-137.
* Bosse, R., Aldwin, C. M., Levenson, M. R., Spiro, A., &
  Mroczek, D. K. (1993). Change in social support after
  retirement: Longitudinal findings from the normative
  aging study. Journal of Gerontology, 48, 210-217.
* Chirikos, T. N., & Nestel, G. (1989). Occupation, impaired
  health, and the functional capacity of men to continue
  working. Research on Aging, 11, 174-205.
* Ekerdt, D. J. (1987). Why the notion persists that retirement
  harms health. Gerontologist, 27, 454-^57.
* Ekerdt, D. J., Bosse, R., & Locastro, J. S. (1983). Claims that
  retirement improves health. Journal of Gerontology, 38,
  231-236.
* George, L. K. (1993). Sociological perspectives on life
  transitions. Annual Review of Sociology, 19, 353-373.
* McGoldrick, A., & Cooper, C. (1988). Early retirement.
  Chichester, England: Gower
* Moen, P. (1996). A Life Course Perspective on Retirement, Gender, and Well-Being. *Journal of Occupational Health Psychology*, 1, 131-144.
* Palmore, E. B., Burchett, B. M., Filenbaum, G. G., George,
  L. K., & Wallman, L. M. (1985). Retirement: Causes and
  consequences. New York: Springer.
* Streib, G. F, & Schneider, C. J. (1971). Retirement in
  American society. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.


---

