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"Childhood Socioeconomic Status and Kidney Function in Adulthood: Direct Association and Mediation through Daily Stress and Health"

Abstract:

This study examines the two hypotheses of how early life socioeconomic status (SES) may affect kidney function in adulthood: 1) direct association, independent of proximal risk factors and 2) life course pathways through current SES and daily stressor, health, and well-being. Data are from 1,357 middle and older adults (56% female; ages 25-84, Mage = 53.4) who completed the baseline survey, daily diary study, and biomarker assessment of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study wave 2 (2004-2009) and Refresher (2011-2016). The hypotheses were tested using multilevel structural equations modeling (MSEM). We found evidence for both direct association and pathways hypotheses. Low childhood SES was significantly associated lower kidney function in adulthood, even after controlling for education, current SES, and daily stressor, health, and well-being. Although the evidence for mediation was inconsistent, we found significant life course pathways from childhood SES to kidney function in adulthood through education, adult SES, and daily experiences. Low childhood SES was associated with low education; low education was associated with low adult SES; low adult SES was associated with higher exposure and severity of daily stressors. In turn, higher daily stressor exposure and severity were associated with more report of daily somatic symptoms. Finally, higher report of daily somatic symptoms was associated with lower kidney function. These findings corroborate body of literature regarding early life as a sensitive period for health in adulthood, while also underscore the importance of daily experiences in adulthood as an important psychosocial mechanism linking socioeconomic adversity and kidney function.

https://psu.zoom.us/j/849074876

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