Impacts of long working hours on the mental health of European above the age of 50

Using data from three waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), this paper examines the effects of long working hours on the depression symptoms for a population aged over 50 years in 11 European countries. The fixed effects regressions and instrumental variable approach give evidence of positive effects of work on the mental health outcome while confirms the adverse impact of working longer than the European regulatory recommendation, which is a 48-hours weekly limit. In an attempt of applying a regression kink design, the study also find a gradual negative effect of retirement on the old-age depression.