Life Course Theory

I. INTRODUCTION

Life Course Theory (LCT) is an approach to public health which draws from a large variety of disciplines, such as biology, sociology, and psychology, in order to examine how health and disease develop over the course of a lifetime (1). This lens is used to examine health disparities, examine factors which contribute to the achievement of optimal health, and develop interventions. The goal of life course-based intervention goes beyond the prevention of disease and seeks to create conditions in which people are able to thrive, or achieve their full potential for health and wellness, throughout their entire lives (2, 3). According to LCT, health is dynamically produced across the lifespan in response to behavioral, social, and

Current LTC addresses the concerns with the concepts of resilience and complexity. Resilience is a dynamic process which gives an individual the capacity to alter their phenotype in response constraining environmental context (4). The process of positive adaptation in the face of negative exposures and experiences allows for individuals to thrive even after experiencing adversity (5). Complexity is a life course principle which highlights that health development is not understandable merely as a sum of its parts. A myriad of interconnected systems influence health development and the directionality of the systems is influenced many different factors. Individuals with the same exposure also have a vast number of interplaying protective and risk factors stemming from their personal context of person-environmental interactions (3). These principles help illustrate that health is dynamic and develops across the course of a lifespan, providing the opportunity for health promotion interventions at many levels and

The tachycardia she experienced from her POTS played a role in worsening an anxiety disorder she believes was already present and that her social isolation also led to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. These issues made high school very difficult so she got GED and moved to live with her father in Los Angeles after completing most of her sophomore year. She described her time with her dad as stagnant and isolating which led to her moving back in with her mom to search for a job. She was unable to find a job due to her lack of experience and education, as well as her anxiety and chronic illness. She went back to Los Angeles and attended a beauty and special effects makeup school for three months before dropping out