The Effect of Education on Adult Mortality and Health: Evidence from Britain

TLDR

Education is strongly correlated with better health outcomes. The study seeks to determine the causal effect of education on health. The authors use two British compulsory schooling law reforms that create sharp cohort differences in education. Regression discontinuity analysis shows the schooling reforms increased education and wages but had no effect on health, indicating limited health returns from such interventions. JEL classification: H52, I12, I21, I28.

Abstract

There is a strong, positive, and well-documented correlation between education and health outcomes. In this paper, we attempt to understand to what extent this relationship is causal. Our approach exploits two changes to British compulsory schooling laws that generated sharp across-cohort differences in educational attainment. Using regression discontinuity methods, we find the reforms did not affect health although the reforms impacted educational attainment and wages. Our results suggest caution as to the likely health returns to educational interventions focused on increasing educational attainment among those at risk of dropping out of high school, a target of recent health policy efforts. (JEL H52, I12, I21, I28)