Seminar details

Has the relationship between people’s health and their social outcomes changed between the generations, given major changes in factors that influence people’s health, both positively and negatively?

Watch the recording

This event took place and was livestreamed on 15 September 2021.

About the project

The economic and social value of health from childhood to later life is a research project that aims to generate new knowledge and expand understanding of the impact that a person’s physical and mental health has on their economic and social outcomes over their life course and across generations.

Through cross-cohort comparisons the project uses the UK’s series of nationally representative longitudinal datasets, including the National Child Development Study, the 1970 British Cohort Study, and the Millennium Cohort Study. The project is funded by the Health Foundation.

Attendees learned about key research from the project including:

• Long term associations of behavioural problems in early childhood (Sam Parsons)
• Association of life-course trajectories of psychological distress with mental health and economic outcomes during the pandemic (Vanessa Moulton)
• Risk factors for early natural menopause (Darina Peycheva)
• The consequences of early menopause and menopause symptoms for labour market participation (Alex Bryson)

Policy panel discussion

A panel of experts discussed the implications of the research findings for policymaking and for health promotion. Panellists included:

• Laura Adelman, Deputy Director for Analysis, DWP/DHSC Work and Health Unit
• Prof Matthew Cripps, Director of Behaviour Change, NHS England and NHS Improvement
• David Finch, Assistant Director, Healthy Lives team, The Health Foundation
• Alice Sullivan, Head of Research, UCL Social Research Institute
• Daniela Durso, Pupil Mental Wellbeing Team Leader, Department for Education

The session was chaired by George Ploubidis, Professor of Population Health and Statistics at the UCL Social Research Institute and Research Director, CLS.

Presenters of research findings

• Alex Bryson, Professor of Quantitative Social Science, UCL Social Research Institute
• Sam Parsons, Research Fellow, UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies
• Darina Peycheva, Research Associate (Survey Manager), UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies
• Vanessa Moulton, Research Associate, UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies