Who retires early and why? Determinants of early retirement pension among Danish employees 57-62 years.

The aim of this study was to identify demographic characteristics and occupational determinants of transition from employment to voluntary early retirement pension (ERP). A questionnaire-based survey among 365 employees in Denmark 57-62 years was performed in 2000, with a register-based follow-up 4 years later. Early retirement was associated with increasing age, and lower socioeconomic position. There were weak associations between gender and ERP. Low skill discretion, high conflict in work and two measures of uncomfortable work positions significantly increased the risk of ERP. The study shows that more than half of the eligible population makes use of voluntary ERP, and further indicates a potential for reducing the amount of older employees utilizing this labour market exit option through reducing certain physical and psychosocial exposures in the work environment, independent of age, gender, and socioeconomic position.