Family life courses and later life health

Life course influences are recognized to be important, but most attention paid to socio-economic (and early life) factors Largely separate literature has shown differences by marital and household status and social support, more recent attention to partnership and parenting histories This literature has examined associations between the fertility histories of women (and less usually men) and mortality or health measured at one point in time Several, but not all, studies show worse health/higher mortality for nulliparous and high parity women (and men). Early parenthood is associated with poorer later health/mortality (women) and poorer later mental health (women and men) Late fertility associated better health/lower mortality in both women and men (but some studies the reverse)