Does smoking cause lower educational attainment and general cognitive ability? Triangulation of causal evidence using multiple study designs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Observational studies have found associations between smoking and both poorer cognitive ability and lower educational attainment; however, evaluating causality is challenging. We used two complementary methods to explore this.

Methods

We conducted observational analyses of up to 12 004 participants in a cohort study (Study One) and Mendelian randomisation (MR) analyses using summary and cohort data (Study Two). Outcome measures were cognitive ability at age 15 and educational attainment at age 16 (Study One), and educational attainment and fluid intelligence (Study Two).

Results

Study One: heaviness of smoking at age 15 was associated with lower cognitive ability at age 15 and lower educational attainment at age 16. Adjustment for potential confounders part

SUBMITTER: Gage SH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9226381 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature