Understanding Racial and Ethnic Differences in Health in Late Life A Research Agenda (2004) / Chapter Skim
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11 The Life Course
11 The Life Course
Pages 104-110
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From page 104... ...
Second, early life events may impair health, or alternatively lead to more robust health, and so confer permanent disadvantages or advantages or possibly a chronic risk of illness. Injuries that produce permanent disability, for instance, obviously have lifetime implications.
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From page 105... ...
Conditions in utero and during the first year of life modify patterns of brain tissue growth and thereby alter the functioning of one or more neurophysiological centers of hormonal balance and activation. This functioning influences cellular growth, tissue development, and the ultimate physiological status and functioning of key organs, such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys.
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From page 106... ...
In contrast, impaired placental development, poor maternal nutrition, and extreme low birthweight may have effects not seen for a long time; all are suspected to be implicated in the late onset of coronary heart disease, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, lung disease, chronic bronchitis, and reduced immunocompetence (Barker, 1998; Chandra et al., 1989; Fall et al., 1998; Lucas, 1991, 1994; Lucas et al., 1999; Thurlbeck, 1992; Vagero and Leon, 1994)
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From page 107... ...
. Few studies also attempt to identify mediating mechanisms, which are important because low socioeconomic status is not itself a disease nor intrinsically tied to poorer health.
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From page 108... ...
. Expanding knowledge of the extremely long-lived population holds special significance for racial and ethnic minorities.
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From page 109... ...
A further possible approach is to extend existing data sets by linking them with other data sources. All these approaches require interdisciplinary teams and close collaboration among funding agencies, some of which may support work on early childhood and others on adult health and mortality.
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From page 110... ...
The Macarthur Successful Aging Cohort study covers whites and some blacks, but the superior health status of other racial and ethnic minorities, despite poorer socioeconomic status, suggests that they should be included in studies. Whether implementing cohort studies or other approaches, social scientists and epidemiologists need to pay more attention to and collaborate more closely with those carrying out studies with animal models to learn about the plausible operation, boundaries, and reach of biological effects.
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