Social Engagement Across the Retirement Transition Among "young-old" Adults in the French GAZEL Cohort

The objective of this study was to test predictors of change in social engagement across the retirement transition in a cohort of 10,692 French utility workers retiring between 1992 and 2004, aged 51-65 in 2004. Three measures of social engagement (organizational activity participation, number of close family members, and number of close friends) were collected in 1991 and 2004; 1991 scores were subtracted from 2004 scores to determine change. We used ordered logistic regression to model predictors of change. Compared with those retiring just before the follow-up measure, those retiring 2-5 years earlier had greater positive change in organizational activity participation (OR 1.22, 95 % CI 1.07, 1.39) and greater positive change in number of close friends (OR 1.19, 95 % CI 1.04, 1.37) after retirement compared with before, but no difference in family contact, and no clear linear trend by retirement timing relative to the follow-up measure. Women were less likely than men to increase organizational activities and contact with close family ties. Poor self-rated health at follow-up consistently predicted decreased engagement. For specific activities, those retired longest had not only the greatest odds of increased political/religious organizational involvement and sports/hobby/leisure involvement but also the greatest odds of decreased volunteering. Those of low midlife socioeconomic status (SES) were more likely to decrease levels of formal engagement from before retirement to after, compared to those of higher SES. Overall, certain changes in social engagement emerged with increasing time in retirement. However, retirement timing was a weaker predictor of change in engagement than factors such as low midlife SES or poor health. Findings suggest that disparities in social engagement may emerge during retirement.