By West LA Times |
Sep 16, 2024
Adversity early in life can have permanent health consequences for people — even if their circumstances improve dramatically later on. Scientists use a cumulative adversity index, or CAI, which quantifies measures of hardship including poverty and stress, to understand health and longevity over the course of an individual’s life. This has been helpful in identifying specific measures governments, healthcare providers, and families can take to improve people’s lives.