Are Childhood or Adulthood Experiences More Impactful on Later Life Health?

• In Event: 1246 - The Long Arm of Childhood: Early life exposures and later life consequences

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to examine possible factors that contribute to health disparities using a life course perspective. Studies have found associations between early life experiences and later life health, but there is a lack of consensus on the extent of these effects, the mechanisms and protective factors, and the time period in one’s life that is most impactful. We examine early childhood misfortunes and possible adult mediating and moderating effects in an attempt to isolate the stage of life that impacts health in older age most significantly.
Methods: The goal of this analysis is to better understand the association of childhood misfortune with adult health, both independent of, and combined with adult socioeconomic (SES) factors. Data for this study come from the National Health and Aging Trends Study, a sample of a nationally representative cohort of adults, ages 65 years or older, who were Medicare beneficiaries. We examine childhood factors, including childhood health, childhood financial wellbeing, and family structure, as well as the adulthood factors of educational attainment and current income, and their association with adult health. Gender, race/ethnicity, age, and marital status are controlled for in the multivariate analyses.
Findings: Results show that both childhood and adult experiences are associated with adult health outcomes. Good health and high financial wellbeing in childhood were both significantly associated with better health as an adult, as were higher educational attainment and higher income as an adult. Additionally, males, Blacks, and Hispanics were all more likely to have worse health as adults, independent of SES factors.
Conclusions: Most early childhood and adult indicators had a significant and independent effect on health in later life. This study suggests that resources should be focused on financial support, family structure, childhood health, and education to decrease health disparities in an older population.

Authors

• Emily Dore, Emory University

• John Pothen, Emory University