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A multistate life table model is used to identify how labor force experiences and mortality determine the labor force participation rates (LFPRs) and the qualities of the retirement life cycle of Black and White older men. LFPRs and the life cycle measures are compared to assess inequities of retirement access for the racial groups. The results show that Blacks' lower LFPRs are a function of disability. Despite lower LFPRs than Whites, however, Blacks spend a greater portion of their lives both working and disabled, reducing the retirement period. Race differences in the retirement life cycle also are highly sensitive to mortality. Reducing Black mortality to that of Whites would substantially narrow the life cycle differences. The combination of higher disability and mortality rates among Blacks suggests that health is a key determinant of retirement inequity.

Is a shorter life with more years lived in poor health a defining attribute of the life cycle of disadvantaged groups? Based on the 1990 5% Public Use Microdata Survey, we develop life table models of healthy (or active) life for the major racial groups, by sex, in the United States. The analysis underscores the complexity of the relationship between morbidity and mortality in the population. For Asians, longer life is associated with fewer years lived in poor health. In contrast, Native Americans' relatively longer lives are accompanied by extended periods of chronic health problems. Of all racial groups, blacks live the fewest years, and they live a high proportion of those years with a chronic health problems. Hispanics also live substantially fewer years, yet the period of life they spend with a health problem is relatively compressed. Racial differences in the link between morbidity and mortality point to the importance of investigating how chronic diseases and disease prevention and treatment are related to active life across the population subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent changes in older men's retirement patterns are investigated for the United States. The results show that labor force incumbents, particularly those in secondary occupations, experienced increases in the volume of both retirement and reentry to the labor force. In addition, although working life expectancy remained relatively stable across occupations, men in secondary occupations spent increasingly greater portions of their work lives in postretirement jobs. Finally, large increases in nonworking life expectancy occurred because of substantial increases in life expectancy. In several occupations, however, declines in working life expectancy were major contributors to increases in nonworking life expectancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]