Does Education Level Play Into Life Expectancy?

Do levels of education affect how long an individual is likely to live? Recent research published in the August addition of Health Affairs says yes.

The study discusses how American adults today who did not graduate high school are likely to have the same life expectancy that an American adult did 50 or 60 years ago. In some instances, the life expectancies of these individuals are actually shortening instead of lengthening, a discovery that might surprise some readers.

Further investigation discovered that different groups of people are at risk for different behaviors that can have negative effects on one’s health. For example, “black women with the least amount of education are experiencing high levels of obesity, which may take a toll on their health. Less-educated white women, [it’s] speculated, might be harmed by behaviors such as smoking as well as alcohol and drug use.”

Further research will be needed to understand exactly how much education plays a part into our overall health. From this study, we might better comprehend the many outcomes that different education levels can lead to.

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Written by Jana Melpolder