Population ageing is expected to lead to a rise of chronic conditions and multimorbidity. The life-course perspective is a useful approach when studying ageing, because it can give insights into different pathways and the role trajectories and life events play in health in later life. Moreover, socioeconomic conditions have been identified as a key factor by which health varies. Therefore, the main aim of the thesis of Dr Rose van der Linden was to study the life course construction of health inequalities in old age. More precisely, the cumulative dis/advantage theory was tested and enriched, so that causal mechanisms and processes that lie behind social inequalities in health among the elderly could be identified. This thesis is in article format and contains three papers using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe.
- Article 1 describes the importance of doing life course research in the general population by looking at the effect of childhood socioeconomic conditions on cancer in later life.
- Article 2 studies associations of life course socioeconomic conditions with frailty, an important clinical syndrome used in geriatric medicine.
- Article 3 further explores different possible pathways in the life course that influence health in later life, including adverse life events, with a focus on potential variation across welfare regimes.
The LIVES Centre offers a doctoral programme which is aimed primarily at doctoral candidates in the social sciences and psychology who integrate a life-course perspective into their work. This program aims to promote courses that lead to quality doctorates within a reasonable time frame as well as professional integration, particularly in academic careers.