Does retirement trigger depressive symptoms? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Mental Health Research
• Public Health

Background:

• Retirement is a significant life event with variable impacts on mental well-being.
• Previous research on retirement's effect on depression yields inconsistent findings.
• A comprehensive analysis is needed to clarify the association between retirement and depressive symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze evidence on retirement's association with depression.
• To evaluate the impact of retirement on both incident and prevalent depression.
• To explore individual and contextual factors influencing this relationship.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
• Searched multiple databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library) up to March 2021.
• Conducted subgroup and sensitivity analyses based on gender, study design, and quality.

Main Results:

• Analysis of 41 studies (557,111 participants) indicated a protective effect of retirement against depression (ES = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.74-0.93).
• Higher quality studies, particularly longitudinal ones, showed a more pronounced protective effect.
• No significant gender differences were observed in the effect of retirement on depression.

Conclusions:

• Retirement is associated with a reduced risk of depression, particularly in high-quality longitudinal studies.
• Increased flexibility in retirement timing and targeted preventive interventions could mitigate mental health burdens.
• Retirement presents an opportunity for interventions to promote well-being in older adults.