A life course model of self-rated health through adolescence and young adulthood

Abstract

This paper proposes and tests a life course model of self-rated health (SRH) extending from late childhood to young adulthood, drawing on three waves of panel data from the U.S. National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Very little research has examined SRH during the early decades, or whether and how these self-assessments reflect experiences in the family of origin. Background characteristics (parental education, income, and family structure), parental health conditions (asthma, diabetes, obesity, migraines), and early health challenges (physical abuse, presence of a disability, and parental alcoholism and smoking) predict SRH from adolescence to young adulthood. These experiences in the family-of-origin are substantially mediated by the young person’s health and health behaviors (as indicated by obesity, depression, smoking, drinking, and inactivity), although direct effects remain (especially for early health challenges). Associations between SRH and these mediators (especially obesity) strengthen with age. In turn, efforts to promote healthy behaviors in young adulthood, after the completion of secondary school, may be especially strategic in the promotion of health in later adulthood.

Trends in self-rated health in European and North-American adolescents from 2002 to 2010 in 32 countries

“…Few papers 12,13 have analysed SRH trends across time, but mainly in single countries; whereas the HBSC dataset allows for a very wide comparison of trends among almost all European countries over a 10 year cycle, a period where many important changes have taken place in Europe as well as around the world. For this reason, the underlying assumption of our study is that change in adolescent self-rated health across the last decade might be, at least partially, influenced by macro socio-economic conditions during this period.…”

Nicotine Dependence in Adolescence and Physical Health Symptoms in Early Adulthood

“…1,3,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] Factors comorbid with adolescent smoking and ND, including substance use (alcohol, marijuana) and mental health problems (depression, anxiety, disruptive disorders), predict poor health in young adulthood. [15][16][17][18]20,[25][26][27][28][29] Parents can affect offspring health through genetic factors, physical and mental health, health behaviors, and socioeconomic status. 18,[30][31][32][33][34][35] Studies have found that parental health conditions directly predict poorer self-rated health in young adult offspring, and indirectly through offspring's health behaviors.…”

“…[15][16][17][18]20,[25][26][27][28][29] Parents can affect offspring health through genetic factors, physical and mental health, health behaviors, and socioeconomic status. 18,[30][31][32][33][34][35] Studies have found that parental health conditions directly predict poorer self-rated health in young adult offspring, and indirectly through offspring's health behaviors. 18 Parental depression is associated with offspring health problems, such as respiratory illness in childhood, 31 physical symptoms in adolescence, 32 and chronic physical conditions, particularly cardiovascular illness, in mid-adulthood.…”

“…18,[30][31][32][33][34][35] Studies have found that parental health conditions directly predict poorer self-rated health in young adult offspring, and indirectly through offspring's health behaviors. 18 Parental depression is associated with offspring health problems, such as respiratory illness in childhood, 31 physical symptoms in adolescence, 32 and chronic physical conditions, particularly cardiovascular illness, in mid-adulthood. 33 Similarly, parental smoking is a risk factor for offspring respiratory problems, other health problems, and lower self-rated health in young adulthood.…”

“…33 Similarly, parental smoking is a risk factor for offspring respiratory problems, other health problems, and lower self-rated health in young adulthood. 18,34 Parental smoking and ND predict youth smoking and ND. 14,35 In addition, there are well-known gender differences in health status.…”