Gains in Life Expectancy Associated with Higher Education in Men.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many studies show large differences in life expectancy across the range of education, intelligence, and socio-economic status. As educational attainment, intelligence, and socio-economic status are highly interrelated, appropriate methods are required to disentangle their separate effects. The aim of this paper is to present a novel method to estimate gains in life expectancy specifically associated with increased education. Our analysis is based on a structural model in which education level, IQ at age 18 and mortality all depend on (latent) intelligence. The model allows for (selective) educational choices based on observed factors and on an unobserved factor capturing intelligence. Our estimates are based on information from health examinations of military conscripts

SUBMITTER: Bijwaard GE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4619701 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature