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The effect of schooling on health: Evidence on several health outcomes and behaviors

Author

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  • Braga, M.
  • Bratti, M.

Abstract

This paper investigates the non-pecuniary benefits of education in terms of several individuals' health outcomes, health-damaging and health-improving behaviors,and preventive care. We exploit a reform which raised compulsory schooling by three years in Italy to identify the causal effect of lower secondary education and,unlike most previous papers in the literature, we analyze a wide range of health indicators. Our analysis shows that the rise in schooling induced by the reform reduced BMI and the incidence of obesity across Italian women, and raised men's likelihood of doing regular physical activity and cholesterol and glycemia checks. No effect is found instead on preventive care and health-improving behavior for women, and on smoking prevalence and intensity for both genders. Some potential reasons for the gender differences in the results are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Braga, M. & Bratti, M., 2013. "The effect of schooling on health: Evidence on several health outcomes and behaviors," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 13/19, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    • Handle: RePEc:yor:hectdg:13/19
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Mocan, Naci & Pogorelova, Luiza, 2017. "Compulsory schooling laws and formation of beliefs: Education, religion and superstition," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 509-539.
    2. Baltagi, Badi H. & Flores-Lagunes, Alfonso & Karatas, Haci M., 2023. "The effect of higher education on Women's obesity and smoking: Evidence from college openings in Turkey," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    3. Hamad, Rita & Elser, Holly & Tran, Duy C. & Rehkopf, David H. & Goodman, Steven N., 2018. "How and why studies disagree about the effects of education on health: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of compulsory schooling laws," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 168-178.
    4. Chiara Falco, 2015. "Education and migration: empirical evidence from Ecuador," Working Papers 297, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics, revised Mar 2015.
    5. Ana María Iregui-Bohórquez & Ligia Alba Melo-Becerra & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo, 2015. "Risky Health Behaviors: Evidence for an Emerging Economy," Borradores de Economia 13040, Banco de la Republica.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    compulsory schooling reform; education; health; health-related behavior; schooling; Italy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality

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