Mortality Attributable to Low Levels of Education in the United States
Overview
Paper Summary
Based on U.S. mortality data from 1986-2006, an estimated 145,243 deaths in 2010 alone could be attributed to adults not having a high school degree. Much of the link between education and mortality appears causal, with the impact greatest for cardiovascular disease, and a growing gap between the least and most educated over time. Hundreds of thousands of fewer deaths would occur annually if everyone had at least a Bachelor's degree.
Explain Like I'm Five
People with less education tend to die earlier than those with more education, and this gap is getting bigger. Many more people would be alive each year if everyone had a bachelor's degree.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
None identified.
Identified Limitations
Rating Explanation
This is a strong study using a large, nationally-representative dataset with appropriate statistical methods. However, it suffers from some limitations regarding omitted confounders and unmeasured quality of education, preventing a perfect score.
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