Investigating Stress Sensitization and Steeling for Early-Life Adversity and Recent Stressful Life Experiences: Health and Illness in Older Adulthood

Sage Open, Volume 14, Issue 3, July-September 2024.
Early-life adversity (ELA) and recent stress experiences are relevant explanatory factors in the understanding of health differences across the life span. However, their particular role in explaining the vast health heterogeneity in older adulthood has yet to be defined. To address this gap, this study examined (a) the health of older individuals with differing levels of ELA and recent stressful experiences; and (b) the type (i.e., linear, curvilinear) of the expected stress-health relationships. Longitudinal quantitative data were collected on health, ELA, and stressful life experiences of the previous 21 months in N = 216 participants (Mage = 69.8 years, 45.8% female). Findings support linear (rather than curvilinear) stress-health relationships for ELA and recent stress with physical and mental health. Furthermore, ELA significantly moderated the relationship between recent stress and physical illnesses. As the detrimental health impact of ELA can still be detected in older adulthood, ELA may be critical for understanding later life health heterogeneity.Plain language summaryOlder age is characterised by its vast disparity in health. There exists a wide array of empirical literature on factors linked to this health disparity. While differing levels of early-life adversity (ELA) and recent stress are potentially explanatory factors, their role in later life is insufficiently understood. This study examined the health disparity of older individuals with differing levels of ELA and recent stressful experiences, as well as the type of the expected stress-health relationships. More specifically, this study examined, whether the relationships between stress and health follow a linear or a curvilinear fashion. A longitudinal quantitative study has been conducted in Switzerland to collected data on health, ELA, and stressful life experiences of the previous 21 months in 216 participants. The participants had a mean age of 69.8 years and were 45.8% female. The findings of this study support linear (rather than curvilinear) stress-health relationships for ELA and recent stress with physical and mental health. Furthermore, ELA significantly acted as a moderator in the relationship between recent stress and physical illnesses. As the detrimental health impact of ELA can still be detected in older adulthood, ELA may be critical for understanding later life health heterogeneity.

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