Do Early Life Exposures Increase All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality Risk Among Older Adults?

• In Event: 4465 - Contextual Influences on Life Course Transitions and Trajectories

Abstract

Several studies have documented a link between childhood adversities and adult mortality. However, these studies tend to focus on all-cause mortality among adults aged 18+ and usually inspect one measure of misfortune only. The aim of this study is to investigate the “long-arm” of childhood misfortune. Giving close attention to childhood context as well as perceptions of aging in adulthood, this study examines the long-term effects of six domains of childhood exposures on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among adults over the age of 50. Using 6 waves of data (2004-2014) from the Health and Retirement Study, this study found that early life exposures are associated with mortality in distinct ways. Socioeconomic disadvantage in childhood raises the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, likely operating through adult socioeconomic factors. In addition, two risky adolescent behaviors increases the risk of cardiovascular, but not all-cause mortality, suggesting that this early life exposure is closely tied to the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases. In contrast, some childhood exposures reduced the risk of mortality; one risky parental behavior and two or more infectious diseases during childhood were protective for all-cause mortality and one impairment during childhood was protective for cardiovascular mortality. Despite these childhood exposures, respondents were adept at estimating their life expectancy. Taken together, children and adults are capable of resilience; from childhood to later adulthood there are several potential ways to cope, adapt, and overcome.

Authors

• Blakelee Kemp, Syracuse University

• Kenneth F. Ferraro, Purdue University