The influence of education on health: an empirical assessment of OECD countries for the period 1995-2015

Abstract

Background: A clear understanding of the macro-level contexts in which education impacts health is integral to improving national health administration and policy. In this research, we use a visual analytic approach to explore the association between education and health over a 20-year period for countries around the world.

Method: Using empirical data from the OECD and the World Bank for 26 OECD countries for the years 1995-2015, we identify patterns/associations between education and health indicators. By incorporating pre- and post-educational attainment indicators, we highlight the dual role of education as both a driver of opportunity as well as of inequality.

Results: Adults with higher educational attainment have better health and lifespans compared to their less-educated peers. We highlight that tertiary education, particularly, is critical in influencing infant mortality, life expectancy, child vaccination, and enrollment rates. In addition, an economy needs to consider potential years of life lost (premature mortality) as a measure of health quality.

Conclusions: We bring to light the health disparities across countries and suggest implications for governments to target educational interventions that can reduce inequalities and improve health. Our country-level findings on NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) rates offer implications for economies to address a broad array of vulnerabilities ranging from unemployment, school life expectancy, and labor market discouragement. The health effects of education are at the grass roots-creating better overall self-awareness on personal health and making healthcare more accessible.

Keywords: Analytics; Deaths from cancer; Education level; Enrollment rate; Health; Infant mortality; Life expectancy; NEET; OECD; Potential years of life lost.

Fig. 1

Associations between Average Life Expectancy (years) and Average Infant Mortality rate (per 1000), and between Deaths from Cancer (rates per 100,000) and Average Potential Years of Life Lost (years), by GDP per capita (for all countries for years 1995–2015)

Fig. 2

Association of Adult Education Levels (ratio) and Enrollment Rates (ratio) with Infant Mortality Rate (per 1000)

Fig. 3

Association of Adult Education Level (Tertiary), NEET rate, School Life Expectancy (Tertiary), with Life Expectancy at Birth

Fig. 4

Association of Enrollment rate-tertiary (top) and Adult Education Level-Tertiary (bottom) with Potential Years of Life Lost (Y axis)

Fig. 5

Association of Adult Education Level-Tertiary and Enrollment Rate-Tertiary with Child Vaccination Rates

Fig. 6

Association of Infant Mortality rates with NEET Rates (15–19) and NEET Rates (20–24)

Fig. 7

Association of Deaths from Cancer and different NEET Rates

Fig. 8

Association of Health Expenditure and Adult Education Level-Tertiary & Upper Secondary

Fig. 9

Association between Compulsory Health Expenditure and NEET Rate by Country and Region

Fig. 10

Distribution of Life Expectancy at Birth (years) and Tertiary Enrollment Rate

Fig. 11

Comparison of Adult Education Levels and Deaths from Cancer at various levels of GDP per capita

Fig. 12

Distribution of Infant Mortality rates by Continent

Fig. 13

Association between Child Vaccination Rates and NEET rates

Fig. 14

Trend of average smoking rate in different continents from 1995 to 2015

Fig. 15

Association of deaths from cancer with adult education levels

Fig. 16

Association between deaths from cancer and adult education level-upper secondary

Fig. 17

Association between Average Tertiary School Life Expectancy and Health Expenditure