Socioeconomic determinants of inequality in life expectancy of people over 60 after retirement in Italy, estimates from AD-SILC dataset

Carlo Lallo, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

Objectives: To verify the persistence and estimate the magnitude of the differences in life expectancy of over-60 after retirement in Italy according to socioeconomic position. Data: IT-SILC sample at baseline data collection in 2005 counts 11281 individuals over-60, 5752 females and 5529 males. Individuals are followed up for 4 years, until 31st December 2009, by a linkage with administrative data from the Italian National Social Insurance Agency (INPS). Design: Survival analysis based on a Cox proportional risk model and Kaplan-Meier simulations of hypothetical individuals adjusted by a Brass relational model. According with Goldthorpe scheme of working relations and Brunner&Marmot accumulation risk theory, socioeconomic position index is derived by different available proxy variables on IT-SILC data and on INPS data. Main outcome measure: Time at death or censored data. Entry time is derived by age of individuals in 2005 at baseline, exit time is derived by age at death officially registered by INPS. All individuals still alive at 31st December 2015 are considered censored. Results: Italians present a significant inequality in life expectancy after retirement. Cox model estimates show that previous kind of job has a significant and relevant impact, even controlling by household wealth condition, education, marital status, sex and age, according with the Goldthorpe social class scheme based on the “working relations”. Kaplan-Meier simulations adjusted by a Brass relational model show a difference of almost 5 years between life expectancy of lowest working class and of highest professionals and owners class. Conclusion: Socioeconomic inequalities in life expectancies due to working relations persist in old age and specifically after retirement in Italy. Because the Italian social insurance system establish an age at retirement that is the same for all, this implies a substantial degree of redistribution of lifetime and wealth from working class to professionals and owners class.