In identical twins who differed in social class in adulthood, those who were working class were unhealthier - with significantly higher blood pressure and LDL cholesterol - compared with the professional, non-working-class twin. By contrast, identical twins that differed in their educational attainment only did not have significantly different health status. This study makes it possible to work out the additional impact of adult experiences, including those that occurred after completion of education, on adult health in a population matched on early life experiences.
Citation: Krieger N, Chen JT, Coull BA, Selby JV (2005) Lifetime socioeconomic position and twins' health: An analysis of 308 pairs of United States women twins. PLoS Med 2(7): e162.
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PLOS Medicine