The effect of retirement on cardiovascular disease: evidence from European countries

Objectives Retirement marks a pivotal life stage for many individuals. As older adults transition into retirement, changes in lifestyle, income, and social networks can significantly influence their health and well-being. This study investigates the short-, medium-, and longer-term relationship between retirement and cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is one of the most commonly diagnosed conditions among older adults. Methods Using individual-level data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), we employed a Fixed Effects Instrumental Variable (FE-IV) approach to estimate the impact of retirement on CVD and to further explore the underlying mechanisms and potential heterogeneity in these effects. Results Our findings suggest that within two years of retirement, there is an increase in the probability of having a heart attack, but retirement does not exert a significant impact on heart attacks in the medium- and longer-term. We found no evidence that changes in metabolic or behavioral risk factors account for this short-term increase in cardiovascular risk. Although retirement is associated with a decline in mental health, our results show that this pathway explains only a very small proportion of the observed effect on heart attacks. Discussion The rise in CVD incidence underscores the importance of monitoring individuals during the transition out of the labor force, particularly among groups that appear more vulnerable, such as women, individuals with lower levels of education and blue-collar workers. These findings also emphasize the need to reconsider the mechanisms through which retirement influences health.