Factors of Change in Health Trajectories: A Life Course Approach
Author: Cullati, Stephane , stephane.cullati@gmail.com
Department: Sociology
University: Geneva, Switzerland
Supervisor: Claudine Burton-Jeangros
Year of completion: 2013
Language of dissertation: English
Keywords:
health trajectories
, inequalities
, Cumulative Advantage
, Life Course
Areas of Research:
Health
, Mental Health and Illness
Abstract
Research in life course health inequalities suggested that patterns of change in health could result in increasing health differentials across social groups (high vs low educated, high vs low income, etc.) over time, resulting from a lack of equity in the social distribution of opportunities and resources. This theoretical framework is called the Cumulative Advantage and Disadvantage model (Dannefer 2003). The objectives of the dissertation is to examine (1) health trajectories and their factors of change, in general and in Switzerland, and (2) whether the Cumulative Advantage and Disadvantage model is supported by empirical studies. This dissertation is in the article format and consists of four papers: one systematic review and three empirical papers using data from the Swiss Household Panel and analyzing health trajectories with individual-level data. All studies focus on the general adult population.
