The absence of education can be crippling in the long-term, as can smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Until recently, there was never a link between the two. However, a July 2015 study by scientific journal PLOS ONE has linked a lack of education to several major health risks, including smoking.
The study focuses on estimating education’s impact on mortality, but does not provide any explanation aimed at causality. Health risks caused by poor education are established under the theory that poor education leads to riskier behaviors, inadequate healthcare, poor nutrition and a lack of suitable housing and work conditions. All of this combines to increase stress levels, diminishing the immune system and cardiovascular health.
Education’s Importance
The link to smoking is mentioned because the same methods of calculation are used when calculating deaths linked to smoking or a bad diet, and the death rates are similar. By the education estimations, 145,000 deaths in 2010 could have been prevented if adults who failed to get a GED or diploma had seen high school through to the end. An additional 110,000 deaths in the same year could have been saved from people finishing college instead of dropping out before attaining a degree, according to the report.
To arrive at these numbers, the study calculated figures by looking at mortality rates for different levels of educational attainment and adjusting the data for different populations. Factors such as genetic dispositions or childhood health were not accounted for.
Dr. David J. Bailey, CEO of Nemours Children’s Health System, said he sees literacy as a major factor influencing quality of life issues in the United States. In a blog post written for The Hill, he outlined some of the ways illiteracy can be damaging to health:
“Patients with low literacy skills are less likely than their counterparts to seek preventative care, have difficulty complying with their prescribed course of treatment, have greater likelihood of not taking medication properly, and are more likely to be hospitalized. From making and keeping an appointment, to understanding how to follow your doctor’s instructions, reading proficiency is crucial to accessing quality care, improving overall health outcomes, and closing the gap on health disparities in the United States.”
According to Nemours, reading failure affects 30% of children in the United States and has health repercussions even at a young age, as it is a source of withdrawal from class activity, lack of focus, headaches, stomachaches, fatigue and anxiety.
Additional research on the subject is simple to find. Drawing definitive conclusions from the available data is somewhat complicated, except to say that education typically leads to better jobs in the labor market and more access to healthcare. Research from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Health Policy Snapshot series outlined some startling statistics about the life-long benefit of a college education.
On average, college graduates can expect to live five years longer than peers who failed to finish high school. The extra four years of education can also help lower the chances of certain health risks, including diabetes, heart disease, obesity and smoking habits. Additionally, infant mortality rates experienced by mothers with a college education are roughly half of that experienced by those with just a high school diploma.
Don’t Panic. You’re Never Too Old for Education
The beauty of modern education is that it is readily available and never really stops. Professionals already immersed in their careers can continue to improve their skills and garner higher wages or positions with better benefits by seeking professional certifications. For others looking to attain a college degree, but are unwilling to go back to campus life and the traditional college experience, a vast number of online universities offer degree programs that are now 100% online.
Here is a list of schools which offer 100% online education opportunities:
