The Impact of Re-Employment after Retirement on the Health State of Older Adults—Evidence from the CHARLS 2020

Yuxin Pang; Tianan Yang; Jianwei Deng; Ying Wang; Wenhao Deng; Tianyu Wang

doi:10.53941/wah.2025.100006

Abstract

In the context of aging, re-employment after retirement is an important form of labor market participation for older adults. However, there is no consensus on the effect of re-employment intensity on the health status of older adults. This study leverages the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS 2020) to classify re-employment motivations and employment types. We utilized the database questionnaire to analyze the heterogeneity in health effects among older adults with different re-employment characteristics. Classified by CHARLS 2020, among the four motivation types of “More Income, Better health, As Workout, Family Issue”, those motivated by “More Income” were more likely to have higher work intensity and better self-rated health. Among the three types of employment, “Employed, Self-employed, Non-paid Family Business”, self-employed older adults showed significant positive effects of work on health. This study can help us understand the complex health effects of re-employment more comprehensively from a theoretical perspective and thus provide a scientific basis and further recommendations for policy-making in practice.

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