The Causal Effect of Education on Chronic Health Conditions

27 Pages Posted: 12 Mar 2018

See all articles by Katharina Janke

Katharina Janke

Lancaster University

David W. Johnston

Monash University - Centre for Health Economics

Carol Propper

Imperial College London Business School; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); University of Bristol - Leverhulme Centre for Market and Public Organisation (CMPO)

Michael A. Shields

University of Melbourne - Department of Economics; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Abstract

Studies using education policy reforms to isolate causal effects of education on health produce mixed evidence. We analyse an unusually large sample and study chronic health conditions. For identification, we use two major education reforms, one that raised the minimum school leaving age and one that affected the broader educational attainment distribution. This method generated precise estimates of the impact of education on a comprehensive range of health conditions. Our results indicate that extra education, at the lowest end or higher up the attainment distribution, has little impact on the prevalence of chronic illness. The one interesting exception is diabetes.

Keywords: education reform, health conditions, causality

JEL Classification: I14, I24, I26

Suggested Citation

Janke, Katharina and Johnston, David W. and Propper, Carol and Shields, Michael A., The Causal Effect of Education on Chronic Health Conditions. IZA Discussion Paper No. 11353, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3137483 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3137483

Katharina Janke (Contact Author)

Lancaster University ( email )

Lancaster LA1 4YX
United Kingdom

David W. Johnston

Monash University - Centre for Health Economics ( email )

Carol Propper

Imperial College London Business School ( email )

South Kensington Campus
Exhibition Road
London SW7 2AZ, SW7 2AZ
United Kingdom

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

University of Bristol - Leverhulme Centre for Market and Public Organisation (CMPO) ( email )

12 Priory Road
Bristol BS8 1TN
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Economics/department/profiles/propper.htm

Michael A. Shields

University of Melbourne - Department of Economics ( email )

Victoria 3010, 3010
Australia
+61 3 8344 4656 (Phone)
+61 3 8344 6899 (Fax)

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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