Early Adversity and Late-Life Health

Early Adversity

The socioeconomic characteristics of one's family of origin share strong links with the early adverse circumstances of an individual. Social stress research clearly documents that people of lower socioeconomic status (SES) experience more stressful events and circumstances than do people of higher social status. This is particularly evident among lower SES parents when considering family stressful events. Lower SES parents are also disadvantaged in the quality and quantity of psychological and social resources they can rely on to cope with family adversity. Thus, for lower SES parents, the opportunity to control family stressful events and circumstances or to protect children from the influence of such circumstances is limited.

[Page 177]Lower family income often serves as a marker for early family adversity. Research shows that parents who work in low-paid employment are the most materially disadvantaged in terms of income. They also experience risk of exposure to an array of related stresses such as higher job and financial insecurity and more work instability. Thus, children from low-income families may face reduced access to housing, proper sanitation, vehicles, household equipment, food, and health insurance. In addition, these children often live in disadvantaged communities that offer poor health, educational, recreational, and social services.

Poor parental education also serves as an important marker of early adverse circumstances of an individual that shapes family income and, in turn, family economic hardship. Research shows that families with poorly educated parents experience greater family adversity than do families with comparatively better educated parents even when the families possess identical levels of income. For example, studies reveal that parental education is associated not only with poorer pulmonary function of adults but also with declines in pulmonary function over time. This may be attributed to the fact that higher levels of education among parents offer greater access to social–psychological resources, skills, and information that helps to protect children from adverse influences stemming from stressful family circumstances.

Family structure also serves as an important marker of early family adversity. Research shows that consistent single motherhood contributes to persistent family financial difficulties, scarce job prospects, and employment limited to marginal occupations. In addition to risks linked with low income, female-headed families often lose the “safety net” that exists when part of a two-parent family. Female-headed single-parent families often face reduced access to housing, vehicles, household equipment, food, health insurance, and other important services. Thus, children from single-parent families typically experience greater early adverse circumstances than do children from intact families.

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