Purpose

Over the recent years, the number of people over 54 years of age, who decide to make use of early retirement, has systematically increased. Economic inactivation is also an emerging problem in the group of younger adults. Depression or depressive symptoms should be taken into consideration in analysing variables that may play a role in the decisional process regarding occupational activities. The aim of the present work is to summarise the role of depression or depressive symptoms in the process of decision-making to continue occupational activities or to quit them.

Review

The authors listed and discussed the most recent and representative surveys and studies regarding causes of retirement, concentrating especially on depression and depressive symptoms. The studies summarised here include the Health and Retirement Study, English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe and WHO’s Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health. It has been shown, that prevalence of depressive symptoms of different severity in professionally active people may range from 6% to 32%. Depressive symptoms significantly increase the chance for retirement.

Conclusions

Depressive disorders can affect people in all age categories and are one of the main cause of early disability retirement or early retirement tendencies. It is important to consider depressive disorders in policies supporting labour force participation.