Heterogeneity of subjective health changes after retirement transition: is meaning in life a protective resource?

Abstract

Background: Subjective health (SH) is an important indicator of well-being, particularly due to its prediction of mortality among older adults. Meaning in life(MiL) may serve a protective resource towards its deterioration when facing critical life events. Thus, the aim of the study was to examine trajectories of SH within one year after transition to retirement. Changes in MiL and its cross-lagged relationships with SH were hypothesized to differ significantly between these trajectories. Methods: As a part of larger project subjective health and meaning in life were assessed four times within 12 months among 596 newly retirees (n=266 Polish, n=330 German) aged between 53-74 years. Findings: Latent class growth curve modeling with sociodemographic variables as covariates revealed four trajectories of subjective health change: 1. high and stable SH (resiliency, n= 162); 2. and 3. different intercepts but similar quadratic slopes, i.e. first decrease then increase of SH (adaptation, n = 161 and 130, respectively) and 4. low and linearly decreasing SH (deterioration, n = 143). As expected, these trajectories differ in terms of MiL changes, however MiL and SH did not influence each other (all cross-lagged paths equal to zero). Discussion: Pattern of SH change after normative life event was heterogeneous with a baseline SH as predictor of further changes over time of the study. MiL neither protected from deterioration nor supported adaptation although its higher values were related to better SH trajectories. The time frame of the study, sample characteristics and situational context are possible explanations to be considered.