This short piece of work has been commissioned by the Health Development Agency (HDA) to contribute to the evidence base of England’s public health policy. Central goals of the policy are: • Improving the health of the worst off • Tackling the wider socio-economic inequalities in health. This report provides a framework to assist those developing and monitoring policies that aim to achieve these two goals. The framework focuses on how childhood disadvantage contributes to poor health in adulthood. It is informed by epidemiological and social research, and particularly by longitudinal studies that have followed children from birth.
The report does not provide a detailed review of this body of research – its purpose is to interpret and translate this research for the policy community. We describe the pathways through which a poor start in life can compromise health in adult life. At the end of the report, we briemy discuss gaps in the evidence base that were highlighted in the process of undertaking this work for the HDA. Although our report focuses on childhood inmuences, it is noted that adult circumstances are also very important, and have a powerful effect on adult health. Tackling the link between poverty and poor health requires policies that address inequalities between socio-economic groups at all stages of the lifecourse.