This study, published in the British journal The Lancet, was conducted by researchers from the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) on 14,000 people, 7 years before and 7 years after their retirement. These people rated their perceived health, rating it between 1 (very good) and 7 (very poor).
During the years preceding retirement, the proportion of people declaring a bad state of health increases, reaching 20% of those questioned.
At the time of retirement, this trend is reversed: 14% of the people questioned declared themselves in poor health one year after the end of their professional activity. The people questioned regain after their retirement the level of health that they declared 8 to 10 years earlier.
People with unfavorable working conditions, such as high physical and psychological demands, or job dissatisfaction, benefit the most from improving their health after retirement.
The authors believe, however, that this should not be concluded that it is bad for your health to work after 55 years. They think that the feelings of people nearing retirement should be taken into account in order to offer them a suitable working environment.
