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Cited by 57Child Abuse and TraumaHealth disparities and outcomesBirth, Development, and Health

Childhood adversities and health variations among middle-aged men: a retrospective lifecourse study

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Elstad, Jon Ivar·2005·European Journal of Public Health
DOI 10.1093/eurpub/cki114
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Using a lifecourse approach, this study examines whether childhood adversities act on adult health as latent or pathway effects, and whether not only childhood ill health and material deprivation, but also an adverse psychosocial environment in terms of stressful relations with parents contribute to later ill health. METHODS: Lifecourse interviews with 380 men born in 1946 were conducted. Outcome variables were perceived health, number of medical conditions, and activity limitations. Ordinal scales indicating levels of exposures as regards childhood health/growth, childhood material deprivation, stressful relations with parents, educational level, and unhealthy adult behaviours were made. Statistical analyses were performed by non-parametric correlation, logistic regression and OLS regression with dummy variables. RESULTS: Simple regression analyses showed a consistent pattern of more negative health outcomes with higher exposures on each of the lifecourse health determinants, but associations were relatively often not statistically significant. In multivariate analyses, the overall pattern remained with few alterations. The lifecourse determinants differed somewhat in their effects on the three health outcomes. Stressful relations with parents were significantly associated with perceived health and activity limitations. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood adversities influence later health to a large extent as latent effects. Stressful relations with parents were relatively important for two of the health outcomes, suggesting that not only ill health and material deprivation during childhood, but also an adverse psychosocial environment contributes to ill health among middle-aged men. KEY POINTS: The study asks whether childhood adversities influence middle-aged men's health through latent or pathway effects. Adjusted for adult circumstances, childhood health problems were associated with activity limitations and medical problems among men aged 55. Stressful relations to parents during childhood had direct negative effects on perceived overall health and activity limitations. Results indicate that childhood adversities often affect adult health as latent effects. Health promotion policies should consider that childhood psychosocial difficulties may have longterm negative health consequences.

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  • Many studies report a negative association of ELS/CT with general adult mental and physical health-related quality of life.

    “In addition, many studies report a negative association of ELS/CT with general adult mental and physical health-related quality of life (17–21).”

    From Developmental Trajectories of Early Life Stress and Trauma: A Narrative Review on Neurobiological Aspects Beyond Stress System Dysregulation (2019) · cites this paper as [19]

    The Results report that childhood adversities were generally associated with poorer perceived health, activity limitations, and medical conditions among middle-aged men. The discussion section ‘Stressful relations with parents’ relates perceived health to well-being, but the study does not separately assess adult mental and physical health-related quality of life. That more specific part of the claim is unsupported by this source. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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  1. [32]32. Cohen G, Forbes J, Garraway M. Interpreting self reported limiting longterm illness. BMJ 1995;311:722 -4.

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Authors
Elstad, J. I.
Corresponding author
Elstad, Jon Ivar
ORCID
Elstad, Jon Ivar
Venue
European Journal of Public Health
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2005-02-01
Volume
15
Issue
1
Pages
51-58
ISSN
  • 1101-1262 (ISSN-L)
  • 1464-360X
DOI
10.1093/eurpub/cki114
OpenAlex
W2144818981
Semantic Scholar
3d2e4c67a2cd6b0ce86cd7bb29e3101a98c226a3
Cited by
57
References
43
Citations by year
2025: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2014: 6
FWCI
6.97
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • European Journal of Public Health (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • European Science Foundation
  • Norges Forskningsråd
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
Keywords
childhood adversity, latent effects, middle-aged men, health perception, activity limitation, health conditions, psychosocial environment, material deprivation, child health, educational attainment, health disparities, health promotion policy
MeSH terms
Child, Child Welfare, Health Status Indicators, Humans, Life Change Events, Life Style, Male, Middle Aged, Norway, Parent-Child Relations, Retrospective Studies, Sociology, Medical, Stress, Psychological, Age of Onset, Vulnerable Populations

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