This study identifies the differences in the effects of retirement on physical/mental health as health-related quality of life (HRQOL) across marital status subgroups for the retirement-aged population from 2005 to 2016. This study conducts a Two-Stage least squares (2SLS) regression analysis using cross-sectional and time series data drawn from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The empirical results suggest that retirement is negatively associated with physical health

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... omes, whereas retirement is positively associated with mental health outcomes. Divorced men who are retired are likely to have 2.028 more physically unhealthy days per month than divorced men who are employed. Widowed or never married women who are retired are likely to have 2.208 and 2.203 respectively more physically unhealthy days than widowed or never married women who are employed. These retired females in the marital status subgroups have the worst negative retirement effect on physical health. Divorced respondents who are retired are likely to have 1.478 and 1.129 more mentally unhealthy days per month for males and females respectively than the counterparts of those who are employed. In conclusion, this study finds the existence of disparities in the effects of retirement on HRQOL, such as physical/mental health outcomes by marital status. Notes: Standard deviations (S.D.) are in parentheses. Means and Standard Deviations are weighted by the BRFSS sample weight factor. All means are statistically significant using two tailed t-test with 95% confidence interval. Source: Own calculations based on the 2005-2016 BRFSS data.