A new study by researchers at Yale University explores how retirement affects the mental health and related mental health care of female workers in China, leveraging China’s unique retirement age policy and hospital and emergency room data.
The research focused specifically on the differences between women working in blue-collar jobs, such as factory work and trade, and white-collar roles, such as office management.
According to China’s retirement system, professions have different mandatory ages when women must leave the workforce. For women in blue-collar jobs, the retirement age is 50, while women in white-collar jobs usually work until the age of 55.
According to Science Daily, blue-collar female retirees used the emergency room more frequently for mental health crises after age 50.
The research found a 16.6% increase in ER visits for urgent mental health conditions after female blue-collar workers retired after age 50.
No similar growth in emergency care was observed among retired female administrative staff.
Early support targeting at-risk blue-collar females can help them transition out of the workforce more smoothly, including improving their psychological preparation.
“Early support targeting at-risk females may help them exit the workforce more smoothly, including improving their psychological preparation,” the findings said.
China’s occupation-based retirement age policy was established in the 1950s when the country’s average life expectancy was about 43 years.
Currently, nearly 20 million new retirees enter Chinese society annually.
2024-03-08 08:14:00
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