The Education-Health Nexus: A Meta-Analysis

Xue, X.;

Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers from HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York

Abstract: Does education cause a better health? No consensus answer to this question has yet emerged. In this paper, I perform a meta-analysis of the extensive literature on the health effects of education. The final sample identifies 105 studies with 4,671 estimates. Overall, the health effect of education is not economically meaningful, although statistically significant. There is severe publication bias favoring the positive effect of education on health. Studies that do not control for endogeneity are prone to exaggerate the estimated effect. In addition, the effect becomes weaker for more recent studies. The results suggest that education may not be a feasible policy option for promoting population health.

Keywords: education; health; human capital; meta-analysis; research synthesis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: B49 C49 I10 I20 I31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-gen and nep-hea
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:yor:hectdg:20/01

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