Childhood conditions and health later in life: examples from Sweden

Adverse childhood conditions have repeatedly been associated with poor health outcomes in adulthood and old age. In this chapter, we review the theoretical and empirical evidence for long-term health consequences of childhood conditions, in terms of two outcomes: cognition and mortality. These outcomes are chosen as they are commonly analysed in the literature, are vital health indicators, and have largely different aetiologies. By combining life-course models and subject matter knowledge, we highlight key considerations in the analysis of childhood conditions’ long-term consequences. Specifically, we discuss the implications of sensitive periods and chain of risks models, different types of confounding, and the issue of distinguishing between inequalities in levels and rates of change. These issues are scrutinized in the light of results from studies from Sweden. The chapter is concluded by a discussion, where we highlight the importance of complementing heuristic life-course models with specific knowledge about the outcomes of interest.