Pathways from fertility history to later life health: Results from analyses of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Emily Grundy and Sanna Read
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Emily Grundy: University of Essex
Sanna Read: London School of Economics and Political Science

Demographic Research, 2015, vol. 32, issue 4, 107-146

Abstract: Background: Previous research shows associations between fertility histories and later life health. The childless, those with large families, and those with a young age at entry to parenthood generally have higher mortality and worse health than parents of two or three children. These associations are hypothesised to reflect a range of biosocial influences, but underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Objective: To identify pathways from fertility histories to later life health by examining mediation through health-related behaviours, social support and strain, and wealth. Additionally to examine mediation through allostatic load - an indicator of multisystem physical dysregulation, hypothesised to be an outcome of chronic stress. Methods: Associations between fertility histories, mediators, and outcomes were analysed using path models. Data were drawn from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Outcomes studied were a measure of allostatic load based on 9 biomarkers and self-reported long-term illness which limited activities. Results: Early parenthood (

Keywords: allostatic load; aging; health; life course analysis; longitudinal (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J1 Z0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:dem:demres:v:32:y:2015:i:4

DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2015.32.4

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