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Education and Mortality: Evidence from a Social Experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Costas Meghir
  • Mårten Palme
  • Emilia Simeonova

Abstract

We examine the effects on mortality and health due to a major Swedish educational reform that increased the years of compulsory schooling. Using the gradual phase-in of the reform between 1949 and 1962 across municipalities, we estimate insignificant effects of the reform on mortality in the affected cohort. From the confidence intervals, we can rule out effects larger than 1–1.4 months of increased life expectancy. We find no significant impacts on mortality for individuals of low socioeconomic status backgrounds, on deaths that are more likely to be affected by behavior, on hospitalizations, and consumption of prescribed drugs.

Suggested Citation

  • Costas Meghir & Mårten Palme & Emilia Simeonova, 2018. "Education and Mortality: Evidence from a Social Experiment," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 10(2), pages 234-256, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:10:y:2018:i:2:p:234-56
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/app.20150365
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    JEL classification:

    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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    1. Education and Mortality: Evidence from a Social Experiment (American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 2018) in ReplicationWiki

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