Offender trajectories, health and hospital admissions: relationships and risk factors in the longitudinal Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development

OBJECTIVES: Research suggests that antisocial lifestyles constitute significant health risks. However, there are marked individual differences in the stability of antisocial behaviour. These different offending pathways may bear differential risks for adult health. DESIGN: Injury and illness data were collected prospectively in the longitudinal Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development. SETTING: Working-class inner-city area of South London. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included the 411 men from the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development, with interview data collected at ages 18, 32 and 48 years for each individual. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Organic illness, hospitalisation and injuries. RESULTS: By age 48, adjusted odds ratios showed that the incidence of organic illness was higher among Life-Course-Persistent, Late-Onset offenders and offenders in general. Based on adjusted odds ratios at age 32, the incidence of hospitalisations was higher for Late-Onset offenders. Adjusted odds ratios at age 48 also showed that the incidence of hospitalisations was higher for all three offender types and offenders in general. Our results also provide evidence that offenders were more likely to suffer injuries than non-offenders. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study imply that preventing individuals from offending is likely to have substantial benefits for health.