Farmers and retirement: a longitudinal cohort study

Studies report low prevalence of several health problems among farmers. Health status and psychosocial factors are generally assumed to impact on retirement age and the ability to stay in work.

To study retirement in a male rural population and to test the hypothesis that farmers retire later than nonfarmers thanks to better health status and advantageous psychosocial factors.

The study design was a longitudinal cohort study on farmers and rural nonfarmers with data assessment at two surveys 12 years apart. Analyses were performed with multiple logistic regression models.

Among subjects 64 years or younger at survey 2, 93% of the farmers were still working (full or part time) as compared with 76% of the employed nonfarmers. Among those 65 years or older, 64% of the farmers, 33% of nonfarming entrepreneurs, and 6% of employed nonfarmers were still occupationally active. Significant differences in reported diseases and psychosocial factors were found between farmers and nonfarmers, but in the fully adjusted model these variables did not modify the low odds ratios of retirement found for farmers. The farmers adjusted risk (OR) for premature retirement (64 or younger) was 0.30 (95% CI 0.16-0.55) and for standard retirement (65 or older) 0.01 (95% CI 0.00-0.05).

Farmers continue to work full or part time around retirement age to a much larger extent than employees. The employment status of farmers may only partly explain this. Health status and psychosocial factors did not impact on the results.