A growing body of evidence shows that conditions in early life are associated with future risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). To increase understanding of why disparities in the social distribution of CVD arise, the proposed research aims to (1) use multiple indicators of early life exposures to test which characteristics of infant and childhood conditions are most strongly associated with adult CVD risk; 2) test five potential mechanisms linking early environments to CVD risk in adulthood: material well-being, social support, health behaviors, exposure to stressors, and coping skills; and 3) examine gender differences in the relationship between and pathways linking early environments to CVD risk. Using innovative latent class methodology, multilevel, linear, and logistic regression modeling, the proposed research will analyze data.,. from respondents aged 50 and over in the Midlife in the United States survey, the largest multidisciplinary study of its kind. This investigation of interlinked biopsychosocial processes that shape CVD risk trajectories from conception to death will help assess potential early intervention areas that could reduce CVD risk in later life and increase our understanding of why CVD patterns diverge between and among men and women. ? ? ?
