Understanding later-life health consequences of early life non-cognitive skills formation using UK cohort studies
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: School of Health Sciences
Abstract
There is a growing literature on the effect of early childhood interventions as a social determinant of health. Most research investigates the relation between family income and child cognitive skills2 3. Surprisingly little is known about the economic and non-economic determinants of non-cognitive skills and the later-life health consequences of the formation of these skills4.
The objective of this PhD is to investigate the early life determinants and the later-life health consequences of non-cognitive skills formation. This project will answer the following research questions: (1) What is the effect of family income and parental investments on the formation of non-cognitive skills in childhood? (2) What is the effect of non-cognitive skills on health in later-life? (3) What are the potential pathways through which non-cognitive skills affect health?
The project will use the U.K. National Child Development Study (NCDS), a longitudinal study which follows a cohort of 17,000 individuals born in England, Scotland and Wales in one week of March 1958 up to age 55. NCDS contains measures of non-cognitive skills in childhood, family income and parental investments and adult health and labour outcomes.
This proposal will use an empirical human capital model of skills formation with a dynamic component measured at different stages in life6. For the pathways analysis the proposal will investigate the role of labour market and biomarkers7 8 using mediation analysis9. A mix of formal and informal training will be offered across the health and social sciences.
The objective of this PhD is to investigate the early life determinants and the later-life health consequences of non-cognitive skills formation. This project will answer the following research questions: (1) What is the effect of family income and parental investments on the formation of non-cognitive skills in childhood? (2) What is the effect of non-cognitive skills on health in later-life? (3) What are the potential pathways through which non-cognitive skills affect health?
The project will use the U.K. National Child Development Study (NCDS), a longitudinal study which follows a cohort of 17,000 individuals born in England, Scotland and Wales in one week of March 1958 up to age 55. NCDS contains measures of non-cognitive skills in childhood, family income and parental investments and adult health and labour outcomes.
This proposal will use an empirical human capital model of skills formation with a dynamic component measured at different stages in life6. For the pathways analysis the proposal will investigate the role of labour market and biomarkers7 8 using mediation analysis9. A mix of formal and informal training will be offered across the health and social sciences.
Organisations
Publications
Atkins R
(2020)
Going beyond the mean in examining relationships of adolescent non-cognitive skills with health-related quality of life and biomarkers in later-life.
in Economics and human biology
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MR/N013751/1 | 01/10/2016 | 30/09/2025 | |||
| 1916337 | Studentship | MR/N013751/1 | 01/10/2017 | 31/03/2021 | Rose Atkins |
| Description | Contributor and external reviewer, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Impact | I acted as a contributor and external reviewer for a parliamentary briefing on non-academic skills in education. The aim of this briefing was to inform members of parliament of the important long-term impacts on life outcomes that can be achieved by focusing on advancing non-academic skills in children. |
| URL | https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/POST-PN-0583 |
| Description | Careers in public health workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | I helped run workshops with secondary school children from schools that qualify as part of the university's widening participation programme. The workshops involved us giving talks on our career in public health, to give the students an understanding of what public health entails. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | European Health Economics Association Student and Early Career Researchers conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I gave a presentation on the third chapter of my PhD: 'Going beyond the mean in examining the relationship between early-life non-cognitive skills and later-life health related quality of life and biomarkers' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | European Health Economics Association Student-Supervisor Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I gave a 25 minute presentation on my first PhD chapter, which was followed by a 10 minute presentation from a discussant that had read my paper in advance. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Health Econometrics and Data Group seminar, York |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I gave a seminar at the University of York on the third chapter of my PhD: 'Going beyond the mean in examining the relationship between adolescent non-cognitive skills and later-life health-related quality of life and biomarkers' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Health Economics Study Group 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I gave a poster presentation at HESG 2019, which resulted in me winning an award for best poster. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Health Economics Study Group Winter Conference 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I gave a poster presentation on the third chapter of my PhD: 'Going beyond the mean in examining the relationship between early-life non-cognitive skills and later-life health-related quality of life and biomarkers'. I was awarded the prize for best poster. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | International Health Economics Association conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I gave a presentation on the third chapter of my PhD: 'Going beyond the mean in examining the relationship between adolescent non-cognitive skills and adult health-related quality of life and biomarkers' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | MRC DTP seminar series 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I gave a 10 minute presentation on my masters dissertation that I was planning on extending into my first chapter of my PhD. The presentation was given to other PhD students on the MRC DTP. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | PDS in the Pub |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I gave an informal presentation on the first chapter of my PhD to other postgraduate students that are a recipient of the President's Doctoral Scholar Award. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Presentation at the European Health Economics Association Student-Supervisor Online Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I presented the second chapter of my PhD to a group of around 40 that were attending the online conference, mostly academics and PhD students from universities across Europe. A discussant also presented on my work after my presentation and then there was an open discussion with the audience about the work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Seminar at the Academic Unit of Health Economics at the University of Leeds |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was invited as an external speaker to present at the AUHE seminar. I presented work from my PhD that was published in Economics and Human Biology. I spoke for just over half an hour and then answered questions from the audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Visit to the Health Foundation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A group of researchers in my department visited the Health Foundation in London and each gave brief presentations of our current research. The aim was to discuss with the Health Foundation any potential research areas for collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |