Childhood Cognitive and Behavioral Impairments and Adult Health

We use U.S. nationally representative longitudinal data to estimate the effects of cognitive and behavioral impairments in childhood on health in adulthood. We focus on work-limiting health conditions and fair or poor self-rated health but also consider adequacy of sleep, body weight, and health behaviors (use of various substances and preventive health care) as potential pathways. In household fixed effects models, we find that both impairments are strongly associated with having a work-limiting health condition in adulthood; specifically, cognitive impairments increase the probability of a work-limiting condition by 70% and behavioral impairments increase the probability by 60%. Individuals with cognitive impairments in childhood are 43% more likely to report being in fair or poor health in adulthood compared to individuals without cognitive impairments. The effects of cognitive impairments on health do not appear to operate through insufficient sleep, obesity, or health behaviors. Individuals with childhood behavioral impairments are no more likely to report being in fair or poor health but are more likely to get insufficient sleep and to be obese, compared to individuals without behavioral impairments, suggesting that insufficient sleep and obesity could potentially lie on the pathway from behavioral impairments in childhood to work-limiting health conditions in adulthood.