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Study Upholds Evidence That Education Leads To Better Health

June 05, 2002

People with more education have better physical and mental health, according to a newly published study from London University`s Institute of Education. The study brings together evidence from a number of countries, including the UK, Europe, Australia, the USA, Africa and Latin America.

People with few qualifications report poor general health more often than people with university degrees. People with low levels of literacy and numeracy suffer more from depression, and are more likely to commit suicide than those with more education. Older people with more years of formal education experience lower rates of cognitive decline.

But it is unclear whether it is education that leads to better health, or whether people with better health become more educated, concludes the study, from the DfES-funded Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning.

Researcher Cathie Hammond explains: "Health may be a cause or a consequence of learning. Healthier people tend to study more and get more qualifications, which in turn promote health."

Other findings include:

Learning helps to improve the quality of people`s lives. By helping people to get better jobs, it reduces financial worries. It builds self-esteem, feelings of being in control of one`s life and resilience to stress.

Learning makes people more critically aware of media messages about health. It contributes to healthy behaviours, such as moderate drinking, anti-smoking, use of condoms and dental hygiene. Educated people are more likely to follow doctors` orders.

Educated people are more likely to be taken seriously by doctors and are better equipped to "work the system". This may explain why more cases of ME are diagnosed in highly educated people, and more allergies in their children.

Education raises expectations that are not always met. Highly educated people who are unemployed tend to be more depressed than less educated people, who have lower goals.

Education can reduce inequalities, create tolerance, build social cohesion and boost the health of whole communities.

Countries like the UK with great gaps between rich and poor have worse general health than more equal societies such as Sweden. So the best way to improve a nation`s health could be to educate the poorest communities.

Cathie Hammond says: "Education that is genuinely accessible and that makes sense to all members of society will reduce inequalities, challenge prejudices and empower people to keep on learning."

Learning to Be Healthy is published by the Institute of Education and is the third study in the Wider Benefits of Learning series.

Institute of Education, University of London