Mortality Attributable to Low Levels of Education in the United States

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Conflicts of Interest

Identified Weaknesses

Rating Explanation

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Paper Summary

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Education and Death: Less Schooling, Shorter Lifespan (But Correlation Isn't Causation)

This study found a strong link between lower educational attainment and higher mortality in the U.S. The researchers estimate that a substantial number of deaths could be prevented if adults had higher levels of education, particularly at the high school and baccalaureate levels. However, it's crucial to remember that this is an observational study, so it doesn't prove that education directly causes longer life.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

The authors thank the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the University of Colorado Population Center for funding and administrative support, but state that the funders had no role in the study design, analysis, or interpretation.

Identified Weaknesses

Correlation vs. Causation

The study relies on observational data, making it challenging to establish direct causation. While the researchers control for some factors, there's always the possibility of unmeasured confounders influencing both education and mortality.

Sample Selection

The study excludes individuals older than 85, those living in institutions, and those born outside the U.S., which could impact the overall estimates of attributable mortality. These excluded groups might have different relationships between education and mortality.

Simplified Education Measure

The study uses educational attainment as a measure of education, which doesn't account for the quality of education received. Different school systems or individual experiences could influence health outcomes beyond just the level of education attained.

Rating Explanation

This is a valuable study addressing an important public health issue. The researchers use a large dataset and appropriate statistical methods, while acknowledging limitations related to causal inference and sample selection. The findings are significant and have policy implications, making this a strong contribution.

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