Dr. Hayward researches the influence of life course exposures and behaviors on the health experiences of the American older population; the origins of health disparities at older ages: early life influences on socioeconomic and race disparities in adult morbidity and mortality; the demography of race/ethnic disparities in healthy life expectancy; and social inequality in the biomarkers of aging. He is the author of several books and numerous journal articles about the connection between childhood health and adult morbidity and mortality, the life course origins of race disparities in adult morbidity and mortality, and the role of socio-historical context for understanding U.S. mortality trends and disparities. Most recently, he has been examining how U.S. state policies and macro conditions shape inequality in health and mortality. He also is leading a study on the demography of dementia in the U.S. and its early life course origins.