Epidemiological and sociological models of life course research, and

their relevance to development studies

Peter Lloyd-SherlockSchool of International DevelopmentUniversity of East Anglia

Epidemiological application of life course

• Linking effects across different points of an individual life history

Epidemiological application of life course

• Linking effects across different points of an individual life history

Early life malnutrition

Health risks in motherhood Chronic illness in later life

Epidemiological application of life course

• Linking effects across different points of an individual life history

Early life malnutrition

Health risks in motherhood Chronic illness in later life

Early life education

Economic opportunities in adulthood

Economic status in old age

Sociological application of life course

• Life course versus life stage

• Infancy• Childhood• Adulthood• Old age

Sociological application of life course

• Life course versus life stage

• Infancy 0-4 yrs• Childhood 5-18 yrs• Adulthood 19-59 yrs• Old age 60+ yrs

Sociological application of life course

• Life course versus life stage

• Infancy 0-4 yrs very dependent• Childhood 5-18 yrs education• Adulthood 19-59 yrs work• Old age 60+ yrs rising dependency

Criticisms of life stage model

• Too simplistic• Socially constructed• Normative

Criticisms of life stage model

• Too simplistic• Socially constructed• Normative

• But large policy influence

Life course concepts

• Trajectories and turning points

Life course concepts

• Trajectories and turning points

• Critical conjunctures

Life course concepts

• Trajectories and turning points

• Critical conjunctures

• Timing: relating personal biography to historical and geographical context

Life course concepts

• Trajectories and turning points

• Critical conjunctures

• Timing: relating personal biography to historical and geographical context

• Linked lives: inter-connected life courses

How do life course frameworks improve our understanding of poverty?

• Understand dynamics of poverty and vulnerability

How do life course frameworks improve our understanding of poverty?

• Understand dynamics of poverty and vulnerability

• Challenge unhelpful policy assumptions

How do life course frameworks improve our understanding of poverty?

• Understand dynamics of poverty and vulnerability

• Challenge unhelpful policy assumptions

• Identify key points in life course for interventions

How do life course frameworks improve our understanding of poverty?

• Understand dynamics of poverty and vulnerability

• Challenge unhelpful policy assumptions

• Identify key points in life course for interventions

• Understand lasting effects of shock and interventions

Methodological challenges

• Limited availability (and high cost) of quantitative longitudinal data

Methodological challenges

• Limited availability (and high cost) of quantitative longitudinal data

• Inconsistent use of terminology

Methodological challenges

• Limited availability (and high cost) of quantitative longitudinal data

• Inconsistent use of terminology

• Reconciling the EPI and SOC approaches