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Rising educational gradients in mortality: The role of behavioral risk factors

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  • Cutler, David M.
  • Lange, Fabian
  • Meara, Ellen
  • Richards-Shubik, Seth
  • Ruhm, Christopher J.

Abstract

The long-standing inverse relationship between education and mortality strengthened substantially at the end of the 20th century. This paper examines the reasons for this increase. We show that behavioral risk factors are not of primary importance. Smoking declined more for the better educated, but not enough to explain the trend. Obesity rose at similar rates across education groups, and control of blood pressure and cholesterol increased fairly uniformly as well. Rather, our results show that the mortality returns to risk factors, and conditional on risk factors, the return to education, have grown over time.

Suggested Citation

  • Cutler, David M. & Lange, Fabian & Meara, Ellen & Richards-Shubik, Seth & Ruhm, Christopher J., 2011. "Rising educational gradients in mortality: The role of behavioral risk factors," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 1174-1187.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:30:y:2011:i:6:p:1174-1187
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2011.06.009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Health inequality; Risk factors; Education and mortality; Smoking; Obesity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts

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