Full Citation
Title: Trends In Health and Retirement In Latin America: Are the Elderly Healthy Enough to Extend Their Working Lives?
Citation Type: Journal Article
Publication Year: 2019
ISBN:
ISSN:
DOI:
NSFID:
PMCID:
PMID:
Abstract: As national populations age, a central policy recommendation for many years have been to raise labor force participation among older individuals, thereby mitigating some of the effects of population aging on public expenditures. However, in spite of intentions, life expectancy increase in many ageing economies has in recent decades been accompanied by a decline in the labor force participation of older workers. Reforms intended to raise retirement ages in ageing economies could potentially be challenged by age-related declines in health of those subject to the reforms. As Latin America experiences substantial ageing following rapid decreases in both mortality and fertility rates, in this paper we investigate labor force participation, retirement patterns and health conditions of those aged 50 years and above in Latin America from 1970 to 2010 based on census data from IPUMS. We focus on three health indicators: mortality risks, the overall disease burden and disability rates. Our results reveal, for instance, older men aged 60 to 64 have very similar health patterns compared those aged 55 to 59, but very different patterns of labor force participation. The results indicate that the same health status translates into lower labor force participation today than in the past. Our results indicate a potential to raise retirement ages for an extended working life period, given improvements in health over recent decades.
Url: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212828X17300555?via%3Dihub
User Submitted?: No
Authors: de Souza, LaetÃcia, R; Queiroz, Bernardo, L; Skirbekk, Vegard
Periodical (Full): The Journal of the Economics of Ageing
Issue:
Volume: 13
Pages: 72-83
Data Collections: IPUMS International
Topics: Health, Labor Force and Occupational Structure
Countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela