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Work–family lifecourses and later-life health in the United Kingdom

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2019

Marco Tosi Open the ORCID record for Marco Tosi [Opens in a new window]  and
Emily Grundy
Marco Tosi*
Affiliation:
Collegio Carlo Alberto, Turin, Italy
Emily Grundy
Affiliation:
Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
*
*Corresponding author. Email: marco.tosi@carloalberto.org
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Abstract

Socio-economic inequalities in physical and mental health persist at older ages and previous studies have shown that partnership and parenthood histories are also associated with differentials in later-life health. These domains of adult life interact, and both may be influenced by earlier life circumstances, indicating a need for a holistic approach to understanding lifecourse influences on health at older ages. In this paper, we identify classes of lifecourse types for a United Kingdom (UK) cohort born 1933–1945 and investigate differences between the latent classes identified in physical and mental health, and changes in health over a five-year follow-up period. Data were drawn from Waves 1–5 (2009–2013) of the nationally representative UK Household Longitudinal Study. Multi-level models were used to analyse associations with summary indicators of physical and mental health measured using the SF-12, and changes in health, controlling for childhood circumstances and taking account of support from family and friends in later life. Lifecourses characterised by lower socio-economic position, early parenthood and large family size were associated with worse physical and mental health in later life, with respondents who had combined a high socio-economic position and two children being the most advantaged. The study indicates that socio-economic disparities in later-life health vary depending on the way in which individuals combine work and family life.

Keywords

lifecourse perspectiveworkfamilyhealtholder peopleUnited Kingdom (UK)
Type
Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 41 , Special Issue 6: New Frontiers in International Retirement Migration , June 2021 , pp. 1371 - 1397
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

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