title: Does childhood adversity account for poorer mental and physical health in second-generation Irish people living in Britain? Birth cohort study from Britain (NCDS).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Worldwide, the Irish diaspora experience elevated mortality and morbidity across generations, not accounted for through socioeconomic position. The main objective of the present study was to assess if childhood disadvantage accounts for poorer mental and physical health in adulthood, in second-generation Irish people.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of prospectively collected birth cohort data, with participants followed to midlife.
  
  
  METHODS
  England, Scotland and Wales.
  
  
  METHODS
  Approximately 17 000 babies born in a single week in 1958. Six per cent of the cohort were of second-generation Irish descent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primary outcomes were common mental disorders assessed at age 44/45 and self-rated health at age 42. Secondary outcomes were those assessed at ages 23 and 33.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relative to the rest of the cohort, second-generation Irish children grew up in marked material and social disadvantage, which tracked into early adulthood. By midlife, parity was reached between second-generation Irish cohort members and the rest of the sample on most disadvantage indicators. At age 23, Irish cohort members were more likely to screen positive for common mental disorders (OR 1.44; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.94). This had reduced slightly by midlife (OR 1.27; 95% CI 0.96 to 1.69). Although at age 23 second-generation cohort members were just as likely to report poorer self-rated health (OR 1.06; 95% CI 0.79 to 1.43), by midlife this difference had increased (OR 1.25; 95% CI 0.98 to 1.60). Adjustment for childhood and early adulthood adversity fully attenuated differences in adult health disadvantages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Social and material disadvantage experienced in childhood continues to have long-range adverse effects on physical and mental health at midlife, in second-generation Irish cohort members. This suggests important mechanisms over the life-course, which may have important policy implications in the settlement of migrant families.
authors: Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors: Jayati
authors: J
authors: Das-Munshi
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Clark
authors: Michael E
authors: ME
authors: Dewey
authors: Gerard
authors: G
authors: Leavey
authors: Stephen A
authors: SA
authors: Stansfeld
authors: Martin J
authors: MJ
authors: Prince