Stress, Health, and the Life Course: Some Conceptual Perspectives

This article proposes several conceptual perspectives designed to advance our understanding of the material and experiential conditions contributing to persistent disparities in rates of morbidity and mortality among groups unequal in their social and economic statuses. An underlying assumption is that these disparities, which are in clear evidence at mid- and late life, may be anchored to earlier circumstances of the life course. Of particular interest are those circumstances resulting in people with the least privileged statuses having the greatest chances of exposure to health-related stressors. Among the stressors closely linked to status and status attainment are those that continue or are repeated across the life course, such as enduring economic strain and discriminatory experiences. Also taking a long-range toll on health are circumstances of stress proliferation, a process that places people exposed to a serious adversity at risk for later exposure to additional adversities. We suggest that this process can be observed in instances of trauma, in early out-of-sequence transitions, and in the case of undesired changes that disrupt behaviors and relationships in established roles. Effective effort to close the systemic health gaps must recognize their structural underpinnings.

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Body size throughout the life-course and incident benign prostatic hyperplasia-related outcomes and nocturia

BMC Urology ◽

10.1186/s12894-021-00816-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Saira Khan ◽

K. Y. Wolin ◽

R. Pakpahan ◽

R. L. Grubb ◽

G. A. Colditz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia ◽

Life Course ◽

Early Life ◽

Prostate Volume ◽

Late Life ◽

Later Life ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Prostatic Hyperplasia ◽

The Life Course

Abstract Background Existing evidence suggests that there is an association between body size and prevalent Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)-related outcomes and nocturia. However, there is limited evidence on the association between body size throughout the life-course and incident BPH-related outcomes. Methods Our study population consisted of men without histories of prostate cancer, BPH-related outcomes, or nocturia in the intervention arm of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO) (n = 4710). Associations for body size in early- (age 20), mid- (age 50) and late-life (age ≥ 55, mean age 60.7 years) and weight change with incident BPH-related outcomes (including self-reported nocturia and physician diagnosis of BPH, digital rectal examination-estimated prostate volume ≥ 30 cc, and prostate-specific antigen [PSA] concentration > 1.4 ng/mL) were examined using Poisson regression with robust variance estimation. Results Men who were obese in late-life were 25% more likely to report nocturia (Relative Risk (RR): 1.25, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.11–1.40; p-trendfor continuous BMI < 0.0001) and men who were either overweight or obese in late-life were more likely to report a prostate volume ≥ 30 cc (RRoverweight: 1.13, 95% CI 1.07–1.21; RRobese: 1.10, 95% CI 1.02–1.19; p-trendfor continuous BMI = 0.017) as compared to normal weight men. Obesity at ages 20 and 50 was similarly associated with both nocturia and prostate volume ≥ 30 cc. Considering trajectories of body size, men who were normal weight at age 20 and became overweight or obese by later-life had increased risks of nocturia (RRnormal to overweight: 1.09, 95% CI 0.98–1.22; RRnormal to obese: 1.28, 95% CI 1.10–1.47) and a prostate volume ≥ 30 cc (RRnormal to overweight: 1.12, 95% CI 1.05–1.20). Too few men were obese early in life to examine the independent effect of early-life body size. Later-life body size modified the association between physical activity and nocturia. Conclusions We found that later-life body size, independent of early-life body size, was associated with adverse BPH outcomes, suggesting that interventions to reduce body size even late in life can potentially reduce the burden of BPH-related outcomes and nocturia.

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Blood Donation across the Life Course: The Influence of Life Events on Donor Lapse

Journal of Health and Social Behavior ◽

10.1177/0022146519849893 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 257-272 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Tjeerd W. Piersma ◽

René Bekkers ◽

Wim de Kort ◽

Eva-Maria Merz

Keyword(s):

Life Course ◽

Family Member ◽

Life Events ◽

Blood Donation ◽

Longitudinal Survey ◽

Blood Collection ◽

Longitudinal Survey Data ◽

Health Related ◽

Human And Social Capital ◽

The Life Course

This article examines how blood donation loyalty changes across the life course as a result of life events. Previous studies have shown that life events affect involvement in prosocial behavior, possibly as a result of loss of human and social capital. Using registry data from the blood collection agency in the Netherlands, linked to longitudinal survey data from the Donor InSight study (N = 20,560), we examined whether life events are related to blood donor lapse. Childbirth, losing a job, and starting a job increase the likelihood of donor lapse, while health-related events (i.e., blood transfusion in a family member, death of a family member) decrease the likelihood of donor lapse. Moreover, results showed how social and practical concerns explain donors’ decisions to donate blood after the occurrence of life events. We discuss theoretical implications for further studies on prosocial and health-related behavior.

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Transpersonal Genetic Effects Among Older U.S. Couples: A Longitudinal Study

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gbz151 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 76 (1) ◽

pp. 184-194

Author(s):

Aniruddha Das

Keyword(s):

Educational Attainment ◽

Life Course ◽

Growth Models ◽

Late Life ◽

Genetic Effects ◽

Genetic Associations ◽

Individual Level ◽

Genetics Research ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

The Life Course

Abstract Background Emerging social genetics research suggests one’s genes may influence not just one’s own outcomes but also those of close social alters. Health implications, particularly in late life, remain underexplored. Using combined genetic and survey data, this study examined such transpersonal genetic associations among older U.S. couples. Method Data were from married or cohabiting couples in the 2006–2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, nationally representative of U.S. adults over 50. Measures included a polygenic score for educational attainment, and self-rated health. Analysis was through parallel process latent growth models. Results Women’s and men’s genetic scores for education had transpersonal linkages with their partner’s health. Such associations were solely with life-course variations and not late-life change in outcomes. Moreover, they were indirect, mediated by educational attainment itself. Evidence also emerged for individual-level genetic effects mediated by the partner’s education. Discussion In addition to the subject-specific linkages emphasized in extant genetics literature, relational contexts involve multiple transpersonal genetic associations. These appear to have consequences for a partner’s and one’s own health. Life-course theory indicates that a person is never not embedded in such contexts, suggesting that these patterns may be widespread. Research is needed on their implications for the life-course and gene–environment correlation literature.

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FRAILTY AND PRECARITY: UNTANGLING THE CONCEPTUAL PATHWAYS OF NEED AND DISADVANTAGE IN LATE LIFE

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.2185 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S589-S589

Author(s):

Amanda M Grenier

Keyword(s):

Life Course ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Late Life ◽

The State ◽

Social Gerontology ◽

Similarities And Differences ◽

Key Aspects ◽

The Life Course

Abstract The concepts of frailty and precarity circulate in social gerontology and studies of aging, with the former a dominant construct, and the latter emerging as a way of linking experiences, insecurities and risks. Although these concepts are used inter-changeably by some authors, their roots, key areas of focus and meanings differ. This paper considers the state of knowledge on frailty, and sets this against the uses of precarity. A After outlining a recent scoping review on precarity that revealed a high number of articles cross-referencing concepts of frailty and vulnerability. the paper distinguishes key aspects of frailty, vulnerability, and precarity. Situating qualitative experiences of each serves as a means to further explore similarities and differences. The paper concludes with reflections on what (if anything) each of these allied concepts may offer understandings of late life, and in particular, the study of disadvantage across the life course and into late life.

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The Myth of the Tech-Savvy Teen and the Clueless Senior Citizen

Criminal Justice Review ◽

10.1177/0734016818763245 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 43 (3) ◽

pp. 360-369 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Travis C. Pratt

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Life Course ◽

Present Article ◽

Senior Citizens ◽

Early Adulthood ◽

Senior Citizen ◽

Risky Behaviors ◽

Criminological Research ◽

Technological Developments ◽

The Life Course

It is a popular idea that younger people are more technology-savvy than their older counterparts. It is an equally popular idea that our oldest generation—senior citizens—is so clueless about new technological developments that they are the most vulnerable to technology-based forms of victimization. The present article, however, demonstrates that these ideas are myths and that it is the young—not the old—who are most at risk of victimization when technology is involved. This should come as no surprise since the age–victimization curve mirrors rather closely the age–crime curve, where the risk of victimization typically peaks in late adolescence and early adulthood and follows a steady decline thereafter. The risks associated with technologically based forms of victimization—at least in general—are no different. The implications of dispelling these myths for criminological research as we move forward are discussed in the context of the nature of “risky” behaviors at different stages of the life course.

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Health inequalities and the welfare state: perspectives from social epidemiology

Norsk Epidemiologi ◽

10.5324/nje.v17i1.165 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Author(s):

George A. Kaplan

Keyword(s):

Life Course ◽

Health Inequalities ◽

Social Epidemiology ◽

Welfare States ◽

Inequality Of Opportunity ◽

Related Factors ◽

Low Socioeconomic ◽

Health Related ◽

The Life Course ◽

The Welfare State

It might be assumed that welfare states that have done so much to reduce inequality of opportunity have also reduced inequality of health outcomes. While great advances have been seen in reducing the rates of many diseases in welfare states, disparities in health have not been eliminated. Is it the case that lowering risks overall will leave disparities that cannot be remediated, and that such efforts are at the point of diminishing returns? The evidence suggests that this is not true. Instead the lens of social epidemiology can be used to identify groups that are at unequal risk and to suggest strategies for reducing health inequalities through upstream, midstream, and downstream interventions. The evidence suggests that these interventions be targeted at low socioeconomic position, place-based limitations in opportunities and resources, stages of the life course and the accumulation of disadvantage across the life course, and the underlying health-related factors that are associated with the marginalization and exclusion of certain groups. In their commitment to the values of equity and social justice, welfare states have unique opportunities to demonstrate the extent to which health inequalities can be eliminated.

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New Issues in Life Course Research: Which Early-Life Factors Matter for Late-Life Outcomes?

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.101 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 28-28

Author(s):

Jacqui Smith ◽

Katrina Walsemann

Keyword(s):

Life Course ◽

Cognitive Aging ◽

Early Adulthood ◽

Late Life ◽

Work And Family ◽

Poor Health ◽

Relative Role ◽

Life Outcomes ◽

Social Adversity ◽

The Life Course

Abstract The increased availability of retrospective information about the lives of participants in population panel studies has expanded the range of precursors to include in life course research. However, this also challenges researchers to select among many potential precursors to a late-life outcome and to determine the relative role of factors from different periods in the life course. Each paper in this symposium uses life course information from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to examine different late-life outcomes. Speakers will discuss what guided the particular selection of factors and outcome to examine in their study. Sonnega, Helppie-McFall, and Lee focus on indicators of childhood financial and social adversity as potential predictors of early retirement due to poor health. Park, Larkina, and Smith ask if decisions taken in early adulthood about how to balance work-and family-life by individuals and their partners are related to the categories of important life accomplishments older adults report in their life review. Two papers examine precursors of late-life health outcomes. Williams-Farrelly and Smith identified different profiles of physical activity in early- and mid-adulthood. They discuss associations between these profiles and cognitive aging. Whereas social losses, relocation, and multimorbidity are well-documented precursors of Major Depression in old age, Bergmans and Smith asked if poor health in childhood played a distal role. The session concludes with an integrative discussion of issues by Walsemann.

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