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Life-course Psychological Distress and Total Mortality by Middle Age: The 1970 Birth Cohort Study
G David Batty1, Mark Hamer2, Catharine R Gale3
1From the Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.)
|June 29, 2021
Summary
Psychological distress throughout life significantly increases mortality risk. Persistent distress from childhood to adulthood triples the death rate, highlighting the importance of early intervention.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Psychological distress often begins in adolescence and varies across the lifespan.
- Existing research on distress and mortality primarily uses middle-aged and older populations with single assessments, potentially underestimating the risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between life-course psychological distress and mortality risk.
- To examine how distress experienced in childhood, adulthood, or persistently impacts mortality.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 1970 British Cohort Study, a prospective cohort.
- Collected psychological distress data at ages 5, 10, and 26.
- Tracked vital status from age 26 to 44, with 18 years of mortality surveillance.
Main Results:
- Distress in childhood only was linked to a 50% increase in mortality risk.
- Distress in adulthood only doubled the mortality risk.
- Persistent distress from childhood through adulthood tripled the death rate (HR=3.10, P=0.002).
Conclusions:
- Life-course psychological distress shows a strong association with increased mortality.
- Findings suggest a dose-response relationship between the duration of distress and mortality risk.
- Further research with more events is needed to confirm these associations.
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