IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v68y2009i9p1649-1658.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effects of childhood and middle-adulthood family conditions on later-life mortality: Evidence from the Utah Population Database, 1850-2002

Author

Listed:
  • Smith, Ken R.
  • Mineau, Geraldine P.
  • Garibotti, Gilda
  • Kerber, Richard

Abstract

We examine how key early family circumstances affect mortality risks decades later. Early-life conditions are measured by parental mortality, parental fertility (e.g., offspring sibship size, parental age at offspring birth), religious upbringing, and parental socioeconomic status. Prior to these early-life conditions are familial and genetic factors that affect life span. Accordingly, we consider the role of parental and familial longevity on adult mortality risks. We analyze the large Utah Population Database which contains a vast amount of genealogical and other vital/health data that contain full life histories of individuals and hundreds of their relatives. To control for unobserved heterogeneity, we analyze sib-pair data for 12,000 sib-pairs using frailty models. We found modest effects of key childhood conditions (birth order, sibship size, parental religiosity, parental SES, and parental death in childhood). Our measures of familial aggregation of longevity were large and suggest an alternative view of early-life conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Smith, Ken R. & Mineau, Geraldine P. & Garibotti, Gilda & Kerber, Richard, 2009. "Effects of childhood and middle-adulthood family conditions on later-life mortality: Evidence from the Utah Population Database, 1850-2002," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(9), pages 1649-1658, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:68:y:2009:i:9:p:1649-1658
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277-9536(09)00095-1
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Meindl, Richard S., 1982. "Components of longevity: Developmental and genetic responses to differential childhood mortality," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 165-174, January.
    2. Modin, Bitte, 2002. "Birth order and mortality: a life-long follow-up of 14,200 boys and girls born in early 20th century Sweden," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 54(7), pages 1051-1064, April.
    3. Schwartz, J.E. & Friedman, H.S. & Tucker, J.S. & Tomlinson-Keasey, C. & Wingard, D.L. & Criqui, M.H., 1995. "Sociodemographic and psychosocial factors in childhood as predictors of adult mortality," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 85(9), pages 1237-1245.
    4. James Vaupel, 1988. "Inherited frailty and longevity," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 25(2), pages 277-287, May.
    5. Mark Hayward & Bridget Gorman, 2004. "The long arm of childhood: The influence of early-life social conditions on men’s mortality," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 41(1), pages 87-107, February.
    6. Carmelli, D. & Swan, G.E. & Page, W.F. & Christian, J.C., 1995. "World War II-veteran male twins who are discordant for alcohol consumption: 24-year mortality," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 85(1), pages 99-101.
    7. Mineau, Geraldine P. & Smith, Ken R. & Bean, Lee L., 2002. "Historical trends of survival among widows and widowers," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 54(2), pages 245-254, January.
    8. Thomas T. Perls & Laura Alpert & Ruth C. Fretts, 1997. "Middle-aged mothers live longer," Nature, Nature, vol. 389(6647), pages 133-133, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Rijpma, Auke & van Dijk, Ingrid K. & Schalk, Ruben & Zijdeman, Richard L. & Mourits, Rick J., 2022. "Unequal excess mortality during the Spanish Flu pandemic in the Netherlands," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    2. Gagnon, Alain & Bohnert, Nora, 2012. "Early life socioeconomic conditions in rural areas and old-age mortality in twentieth-century Quebec," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(8), pages 1497-1504.
    3. Myrskylä, Mikko & Elo, Irma T. & Kohler, Iliana V. & Martikainen, Pekka, 2014. "The association between advanced maternal and paternal ages and increased adult mortality is explained by early parental loss," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 215-223.
    4. Mikko Myrskylä & Andrew Fenelon, 2012. "Maternal Age and Offspring Adult Health: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(4), pages 1231-1257, November.
    5. Anna Baranowska-Rataj & Xavier de Luna & Anneli Ivarsson, 2016. "Does the number of siblings affect health in midlife? Evidence from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(43), pages 1259-1302.
    6. Smith, Ken R. & Hanson, Heidi A. & Norton, Maria C. & Hollingshaus, Michael S. & Mineau, Geraldine P., 2014. "Survival of offspring who experience early parental death: Early life conditions and later-life mortality," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 180-190.
    7. Hollingshaus, Michael S. & Smith, Ken R., 2015. "Life and death in the family: Early parental death, parental remarriage, and offspring suicide risk in adulthood," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 181-189.
    8. Kandyce Larson & Neal Halfon, 2013. "Parental divorce and adult longevity," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 58(1), pages 89-97, February.
    9. Leonid A. Gavrilov & Natalia S. Gavrilova, 2013. "Determinants of exceptional human longevity: new ideas and findings," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 11(1), pages 295-323.
    10. Matthias Rosenbaum-Feldbrügge, 2019. "The Impact of Parental Death in Childhood on Sons’ and Daughters’ Status Attainment in Young Adulthood in the Netherlands, 1850–1952," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(5), pages 1827-1854, October.
    11. Marco-Gracia, Francisco J. & Puche, Javier, 2021. "The association between male height and lifespan in rural Spain, birth cohorts 1835-1939," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    12. Kieron J. Barclay & Martin Kolk, 2018. "Birth Intervals and Health in Adulthood: A Comparison of Siblings Using Swedish Register Data," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(3), pages 929-955, June.
    13. Kieron Barclay & Martin Kolk, 2015. "Birth Order and Mortality: A Population-Based Cohort Study," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 52(2), pages 613-639, April.
    14. Sören Edvinsson & Göran Broström, 2012. "Old age, health and social inequality," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 26(23), pages 633-660.
    15. Zachary Zimmer & Heidi Hanson & Ken Smith, 2016. "Childhood socioeconomic status, adult socioeconomic status, and old-age health trajectories," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 34(10), pages 285-320.
    16. Oshio, Takashi & Umeda, Maki & Fujii, Mayu, 2012. "The mediating effects of adulthood socioeconomic status and social support on adulthood impacts of childhood poverty in Japan," CIS Discussion paper series 538, Center for Intergenerational Studies, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    17. Jason Fletcher & Hamid Noghanibehambari, 2023. "Toxified to the Bone: Early-Life and Childhood Exposure to Lead and Men’s Old-Age Mortality," NBER Working Papers 31957, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    18. Hannes Kröger & Rasmus Hoffmann & Lasse Tarkiainen & Pekka Martikainen, 2018. "Comparing Observed and Unobserved Components of Childhood: Evidence From Finnish Register Data on Midlife Mortality From Siblings and Their Parents," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(1), pages 295-318, February.
    19. Kieron J. Barclay & Mikko Myrskylä, 2016. "Parental age and offspring mortality: negative effects of reproductive aging are outweighed by secular increases in longevity," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2016-011, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    20. Zachary Zimmer & Luoman Bao & Nanette L. Mayol & Feinian Chen & Tita Lorna L. Perez & Paulita L. Duazo, 2017. "Functional limitation trajectories and their determinants among women in the Philippines," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 36(30), pages 863-892.
    21. Heidi Hanson & Ken Smith & Zachary Zimmer, 2015. "Reproductive History and Later-Life Comorbidity Trajectories: A Medicare-Linked Cohort Study From the Utah Population Database," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 52(6), pages 2021-2049, December.
    22. Zachary Zimmer & Heidi A. Hanson & Ken R. Smith, 2016. "Offspring Socioeconomic Status and Parent Mortality Within a Historical Population," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(5), pages 1583-1603, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Myrskylä, Mikko & Elo, Irma T. & Kohler, Iliana V. & Martikainen, Pekka, 2014. "The association between advanced maternal and paternal ages and increased adult mortality is explained by early parental loss," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 215-223.
    2. Smith, Ken R. & Hanson, Heidi A. & Norton, Maria C. & Hollingshaus, Michael S. & Mineau, Geraldine P., 2014. "Survival of offspring who experience early parental death: Early life conditions and later-life mortality," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 180-190.
    3. Bowen, Mary Elizabeth, 2009. "Childhood socioeconomic status and racial differences in disability: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study (1998-2006)," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(3), pages 433-441, August.
    4. Spence, Naomi J. & Eberstein, Isaac W., 2009. "Age at first birth, parity, and post-reproductive mortality among white and black women in the US, 1982-2002," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(9), pages 1625-1632, May.
    5. Hannes Kröger & Rasmus Hoffmann & Lasse Tarkiainen & Pekka Martikainen, 2018. "Comparing Observed and Unobserved Components of Childhood: Evidence From Finnish Register Data on Midlife Mortality From Siblings and Their Parents," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(1), pages 295-318, February.
    6. Robert G. Wood & Brian Goesling & Sarah Avellar, "undated". "The Effects of Marriage on Health: A Synthesis of Recent Research Evidence," Mathematica Policy Research Reports d69bf47785bc4154a4e184aa5, Mathematica Policy Research.
    7. Robert G. Wood & Brian Goesling & Sarah Avellar, "undated". "The Effects of Marriage on Health: A Synthesis of Recent Research Evidence (Issue Brief)," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 2685fc6f3f9a4fbd9e672e524, Mathematica Policy Research.
    8. Holly Heard & Bridget Gorman & Carolyn Kapinus, 2008. "Family Structure and Self-Rated Health in Adolescence and Young Adulthood," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 27(6), pages 773-797, December.
    9. Kieron Barclay & Martin Kolk, 2015. "Birth Order and Mortality: A Population-Based Cohort Study," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 52(2), pages 613-639, April.
    10. Heidi Hanson & Ken Smith & Zachary Zimmer, 2015. "Reproductive History and Later-Life Comorbidity Trajectories: A Medicare-Linked Cohort Study From the Utah Population Database," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 52(6), pages 2021-2049, December.
    11. Eran Shor & David Roelfs & Misty Curreli & Lynn Clemow & Matthew Burg & Joseph Schwartz, 2012. "Widowhood and Mortality: A Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(2), pages 575-606, May.
    12. Steven Haas, 2007. "The long-term effects of poor childhood health: An assessment and application of retrospective reports," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 44(1), pages 113-135, February.
    13. Campbell, Cameron D. & Lee, James Z., 2009. "Long-term mortality consequences of childhood family context in Liaoning, China, 1749-1909," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(9), pages 1641-1648, May.
    14. Kang, Jeong-han & Kim, Jibum & Lee, Min-Ah, 2016. "Marital status and mortality: Does family structure in childhood matter?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 152-160.
    15. Shen, Ke & Zeng, Yi, 2014. "Direct and indirect effects of childhood conditions on survival and health among male and female elderly in China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 207-214.
    16. Gabriele Doblhammer & James W. Vaupel, 1999. "Reproductive history and mortality later in life for Austrian women," MPIDR Working Papers WP-1999-012, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    17. Kathryn Anderson & James Foster & David Frisvold, 2004. "Investing in Health: The Long-Term Impact of Head Start," Vanderbilt University Department of Economics Working Papers 0426, Vanderbilt University Department of Economics.
    18. Molly A. Martin & Margaret Gough Courtney & Adam M. Lippert, 2022. "The Risks and Consequences of Skipping Meals for Low-Income Mothers," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(6), pages 2613-2644, December.
    19. Hui Zheng & Jonathan Dirlam & Paola Echave, 2021. "Divergent Trends in the Effects of Early Life Factors on Adult Health," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 40(5), pages 1119-1148, October.
    20. Zai Liang & Feinuo Sun, 2020. "The lasting impact of parental migration on children's education and health outcomes: The case of China," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 43(9), pages 217-244.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:68:y:2009:i:9:p:1649-1658. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.