Health in working-aged Americans: Adults with high school equivalency diploma are similar to dropouts, not high school graduates

A. Zajacova

American Journal of Public Health, 2012, vol. 102, issue S2, S284-S290

Abstract: Objectives: We compared health outcomes for adults with the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) and regular high school diploma to determine whetherGED recipients are equivalent to regular graduates despite research that documents their disadvantages in other outcomes. Methods. We used 1997 to 2009 National Health Interview Survey crosssectional data on high school dropouts, graduates, and GED recipients aged 30 to 65 years (n = 76 705). Five general health indicators and 20 health conditions were analyzed using logistic models. Results. GED recipients had a significantly higher prevalence of every health outcome compared with high school graduates (odds ratios = 1.3-2.7). The GED- high school differences attenuated but remained evident after controlling for health insurance, economic status, and health behaviors. For most conditions, the 95% confidence interval for GED earners overlapped with that for high school dropouts. Conclusions. The high school equivalency diploma was associated with nonequivalent health: adults with a GED had health comparable to that of high school dropouts, not graduates. GED recipients were at increased risk for many health conditions, and their health should be viewed as distinct from regular graduates. The findings have implications for health and educational policies.

Date: 2012
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300524

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2011.300524_8

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300524

Access Statistics for this article

American Journal of Public Health is currently edited by Alfredo Morabia

More articles in American Journal of Public Health from American Public Health Association
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Christopher F Baum ().