Childhood Misfortune and Adult Health among Black, White, and Hispanic Americans Project Summary/Abstract Recent epidemiologic research provides compelling evidence that negative events and experiences early in life hasten the onset and progression of numerous adult chronic diseases. Despite the growing evidence, the precise mechanisms for these relationships remain a subject of continuing debate. The purpose of this project, therefore, is to explicate mechanisms and pathways to reduce harmful health consequences of negative childhood exposures. We investigate the early origins of adult health conditions of urgent national need (cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline) as well as the propensity to grow older free of physical and cognitive impairment, which we refer to as exceptional longevity. We seek to identify resources that empower diverse groups of Americans to optimize their health and longevity, even after facing considerable misfortune early in life. We hypothesize that chronic inflammation is a critical pathway by which life course stressors exact a toll on health but that social, psychological, and community resources over the life course reduce health risks. Although most of the extant research on the topic examines White adults, the present study investigates whether the mechanisms vary for Black, White, and Hispanic Americans. Resources such as social support and health lifestyles vary across racial and ethnic communities, suggesting the value of investigating distinct mechanisms for amelioration. We use eight waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), organized in two studies, to test hypotheses. Study 1 examines data from 19,630 adults (age 51+) in 2004 who are re-interviewed biennially, providing 14 years of observation. Study 2 uses information from 10,325 adults (age 51+) in 2010, incorporating rich data from the Life History Surveys launched in 2015. There are three specific aims: 1. To identify mediators of the relationship between childhood exposures and risk of cardiovascular diseases among Black, White, and Hispanic adults. 2. To examine the relationship between childhood exposures and cognitive decline?an early indicator of risk for Alzheimer?s Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD)?among Black, White, and Hispanic adults as well as the potential mediators of the relationship. 3. To explicate relationships between childhood exposures and exceptional longevity and identify resources that enable Black, White, and Hispanic adults to be free of both physical and cognitive impairment in later life. The hypotheses, derived from the above aims, will be tested with a variety of multivariate analytic techniques to estimate direct and indirect effects of childhood exposures on the outcomes, with formal tests of mediation and moderation.
This research examines the relationships between childhood negative exposures (including physical abuse, financial strain, and poor health) and both physical and cognitive health in later life among Black, White, and Hispanic Americans. Clarifying these relationships will enable the development of effective strategies to reduce health problems among these three groups of Americans. As healthcare policymakers continue to search for affordable cost-containment strategies, it is important to identify the early origins of adult health and potential points of intervention, especially across racial and ethnic groups.
| Ferraro, Kenneth F; Morton, Patricia M (2018) What Do We Mean by Accumulation? Advancing Conceptual Precision for a Core Idea in Gerontology. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 73:269-278 |
| Kemp, Blakelee R; Ferraro, Kenneth F; Morton, Patricia M et al. (2018) Early Origins of Adult Cancer Risk Among Men and Women: Influence of Childhood Misfortune? J Aging Health 30:140-163 |
| Morton, Patricia M; Ferraro, Kenneth F (2018) Does Early-Life Misfortune Increase the Likelihood of Psychotropic Medication Use in Later Life? Res Aging 40:558-579 |
| Wilkinson, Lindsay R; Ferraro, Kenneth F; Mustillo, Sarah A (2018) Wealth in Middle and Later Life: Examining the Life Course Timing of Women's Health Limitations. Gerontologist : |
| Morton, Patricia M; Turiano, Nicholas A; Mroczek, Daniel K et al. (2018) Childhood Misfortune, Personality, and Heart Attack: Does Personality Mediate Risk of Myocardial Infarction? J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 73:825-835 |
| Wilkinson, Lindsay R; Ferraro, Kenneth F; Kemp, Blakelee R (2017) Contextualization of Survey Data: What Do We Gain and Does It Matter? Res Hum Dev 14:234-252 |
| Ferraro, Kenneth F; Kemp, Blakelee R; Williams, Monica M (2017) Diverse Aging and Health Inequality by Race and Ethnicity. Innov Aging 1:igx002 |
| Ferraro, Kenneth F; Schafer, Markus H (2017) Visions of the Life Course: Risks, Resources, and Vulnerability. Res Hum Dev 14:88-93 |
| Smith, Natalie R; Ferraro, Kenneth F; Kemp, Blakelee R et al. (2016) Childhood Misfortune and Handgrip Strength Among Black, White, and Hispanic Americans. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci : |
| Ferraro, Kenneth F; Schafer, Markus H; Wilkinson, Lindsay R (2016) Childhood Disadvantage and Health Problems in Middle and Later Life: Early Imprints on Physical Health? Am Sociol Rev 81:107-133 |
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