TY - JOUR
T1 - Trajectories of functional health
T2 - The 'long arm' of childhood health and socioeconomic factors
AU - Haas, Steven
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars Program and the Harvard Center for Society and Health.
PY - 2008/2
Y1 - 2008/2
N2 - Few studies have specifically examined trajectories of functional health status or estimated the extent to which they are influenced by childhood health and socioeconomic conditions. This study examines how circumstances associated with early life may shape the level and progression of functional limitations among adults at or near retirement. Employing data from the US Health and Retirement Study (HRS), it estimates latent growth curve models (LGM) of functional limitation. The results demonstrate that functional health trajectories in old age continue to be shaped by childhood health and socioeconomic circumstances. Poor childhood health and disadvantaged social origins are associated with both more functional limitations at baseline and higher rates of increase over time. This association is net of baseline adult chronic disease and socioeconomic status. While both childhood and adult factors influence the baseline level of functional limitation, only childhood health and socioeconomic status are associated with the rate of change in limitations over time.
AB - Few studies have specifically examined trajectories of functional health status or estimated the extent to which they are influenced by childhood health and socioeconomic conditions. This study examines how circumstances associated with early life may shape the level and progression of functional limitations among adults at or near retirement. Employing data from the US Health and Retirement Study (HRS), it estimates latent growth curve models (LGM) of functional limitation. The results demonstrate that functional health trajectories in old age continue to be shaped by childhood health and socioeconomic circumstances. Poor childhood health and disadvantaged social origins are associated with both more functional limitations at baseline and higher rates of increase over time. This association is net of baseline adult chronic disease and socioeconomic status. While both childhood and adult factors influence the baseline level of functional limitation, only childhood health and socioeconomic status are associated with the rate of change in limitations over time.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.11.004
DO - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.11.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 18158208
AN - SCOPUS:38749114685
SN - 0277-9536
VL - 66
SP - 849
EP - 861
JO - Social Science and Medicine
JF - Social Science and Medicine
IS - 4
ER -