Objectives Although striking racial and ethnic disparities in health are manifest during later life, they may be rooted in early-life exposures. Drawing from cumulative inequality theory, we investigate whether life course stressors are associated with the risk of later-life functional limitations and whether this relationship differs by race and ethnicity. Methods We utilize longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study to test whether child and adult stressors predict trajectories of the occurrence and severity of functional limitations among a diverse sample of older adults. Results Child and adult stressors are associated with greater occurrence and severity of functional limitations during later life. Mediation analyses reveal the indirect influence of child stressors via adult stressors on occurrence and severity of functional limitations; however, the indirect effects are slightly stronger for Black and Hispanic adults than their White counterparts. Discussion Child stressors, in and of themselves, do not increase functional limitations among Black and Hispanic people but are associated with greater adult stress exposure, predisposing them to more functional limitations. Results suggest that childhood stressors are associated with distinct social pathways to functional limitations among White, Black, and Hispanic older adults.

中文翻译：

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白人、黑人和西班牙裔成年人晚年生活中的压力源和功能限制：有害、硬化还是良性？

目标 尽管健康方面的种族和民族显着差异在晚年表现出来，但它们可能植根于早年的暴露。根据累积不平等理论，我们调查了生命历程压力源是否与晚年功能受限的风险相关，以及这种关系是否因种族和民族而异。方法 我们利用来自健康和退休研究的纵向数据来测试儿童和成人压力源是否可以预测各种老年人样本中功能限制的发生和严重程度的轨迹。结果 儿童和成人压力源与晚年功能限制的发生率和严重程度有关。中介分析揭示了儿童压力源通过成人压力源对功能限制的发生和严重程度的间接影响；然而，黑人和西班牙裔成年人的间接影响略强于白人。讨论 儿童压力源本身不会增加黑人和西班牙裔人的功能限制，但会与更大的成人压力暴露相关，使他们更容易受到功能限制。结果表明，儿童时期的压力源与白人、黑人和西班牙裔老年人功能受限的不同社会途径有关。不会增加黑人和西班牙裔人的功能限制，但与更大的成人压力暴露有关，使他们更容易受到功能限制。结果表明，儿童时期的压力源与白人、黑人和西班牙裔老年人功能受限的不同社会途径有关。不会增加黑人和西班牙裔人的功能限制，但与更大的成人压力暴露有关，使他们更容易受到功能限制。结果表明，儿童时期的压力源与白人、黑人和西班牙裔老年人功能受限的不同社会途径有关。