A LIFECOURSE PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIOECONOMIC INEQUALITIES IN HEALTH - THE INFLUENCE OF CHILDHOOD SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND SELECTION PROCESSES

In this article a lifecourse perspective on socio-economic inequalitie s in health is presented. In a lifecourse perspective, cumulation of a dverse socio-economic circumstances and selection are important mechan isms, which successively may cause a downward spiral. A conceptual mod el is examined with empirical data. Three processes in the explanation of socio-economic health inequalities are emphasised: the contributio n of childhood socio-economic conditions, the contribution of childhoo d health and the contribution of health selection, Data were used from the longitudinal Study of Socio-Economic Health Differences (LS-SEHD) in the Netherlands. It was found that the relation between adult soci o-economic status and adult health is influenced by childhood socioeco nomic conditions. An independent effect of childhood socioeconomic con ditions on adult health was partly explained by unhealthy behaviour an d personality characteristics and cultural factors. Also, childhood he alth was found to play a role in the explanation of socio-economic hea lth differences in early adult life. Health selection in childhood see ms the most important mechanism in this process. With respect to healt h selection in adult life no effect of health problems on downward soc ial mobility was apparent. Our results indicate that the occurrence of a downward spiral is likely to be significant during the period of ch ildhood and youth.