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Research Suggests a Link Between Higher Education and Increased Longevity

By: MerxWire

Based on research findings, individuals with higher education exhibit an enhanced quality of life and demonstrate a heightened commitment to physical well-being. Moreover, these individuals possess the capacity to acquire health insurance, consequently leading to an extended lifespan.


The impact of educational attainment on life expectancy is particularly prominent in affluent nations. (Photo via pexels.com)

Princeton, NJ (Merxwire) – Is there a genuine correlation between individuals’ educational attainment and their lifespan? According to research, in rich countries, education level transcends gender and race to become the main factor affecting life expectancy. Take the United States as an example. Americans with a college degree have an average life expectancy of 10 years longer than those who dropped out of junior high or high school.

Why are education level and life span related? The analysis believes that the higher the degree of education is directly proportional to the level of work pay, the better the work pay represents the better medical care, which in turn affects the length of life.

The trend of education level affecting the length of life span is especially obvious in rich countries. Since 2017 in the United States, the effect of education level on the length of life span is increasing. Experts say that although there are many studies on economic ability affecting lifespan, there is not much research material on the impact of education on lifespan.

According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), researchers from Princeton University used data from 1990 to 2018 as research. They analyzed nearly 50 million death certificates and looked at gender, race, and education level to understand the correlation between these data and the length of life.

Studies have found that education level has an increasing impact on the length of life. Americans with a degree continue to live longer, while those without a degree are getting shorter and shorter. Compared with 1990 and 2000, the gap in 2000 has become even greater.

In the past, ethnic factors were also one of the reasons for the length of life. In 1990, whites without a degree lived longer than blacks of the same age and with a college degree. But in the past ten years, the life expectancy of well-educated blacks has also increased, and the influence of race on the length of life is estimated to be reduced by 70%.

As far as data is concerned, education level has a great relationship with economic ability. People with a high degree of education are more likely to find well-paid jobs, and well-paid jobs mean better health insurance benefits.

In addition, a well-educated person is more likely to develop a healthy way, and some healthy food, organic food, sports, etc., require additional expenses, which may only be affordable for people with a good income. On the other hand, people who do not have a good academic background may encounter difficulties in finding a job and cannot afford the high health insurance costs.

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