Abstract
BACKGROUND: Retirement marks a significant life transition that can bring about a myriad of changes, challenges, and opportunities for individuals. Retired individuals may encounter various psychological stressors that can affect their mental wellbeing. There is a paucity of published data regarding the psychological profile of recently retired individuals in developing countries such as Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected using interviewer-administered, structured questionnaire. Psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), functioning was measured with the 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS-12), and social support was evaluated using the three-item Oslo Social Support Scale (OSSS-3). Data were entered into Microsoft Excel 2016 and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive analysis was used to summarize the general characteristics and the magnitude of psychological distress. To examine the factors associated with mental health parameters, hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed. The interactions were visualized using a simple slope analysis. RESULTS: In this study, 396 recently retired individuals were included, yielding a response rate of 95.9%. The study population was predominantly male (56.6%). The mean Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) score for the studied retirees was 5.55 ± 4.24, with 44.2% (n = 175) having psychological distress. The association between the level of functional impairment and psychological distress differed between the low social support group (1 SD below the mean, β = 0.297, p < 0.001) and the high social support (1 SD above the mean, β = 0.022, p = 0.676). CONCLUSIONS: Recently retired individuals experienced high levels of psychological distress. Furthermore, social support moderates the relationship between level of functional impairment and psychological well-being. Therefore, pragmatic interventions targeting level of functional impairment and social support should be implemented to improve the psychological well-being of new retirees.