Health and education: Understanding the gradient

Holger Strulik

No 172, University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics from University of Goettingen, Department of Economics

Abstract: This study presents a novel view on education and health behavior of individuals constrained by aging bodies. The aging process, i.e. the accumulation of health deficits over time, is built on recent insights from gerontology. The loss of body functionality, which eventually leads to death, can be accelerated by unhealthy behavior and delayed through health expenditure. Education is endogenous and determined, among others thing, by cognitive ability. The proposed theory rationalizes why better educated persons optimally choose a healthier lifestyle. The model is calibrated for the average male US citizen. In the benchmark case a difference in cognitive ability that motivates one more year of education leads to an increase of longevity by about half a year. Progress in medical technology explains why the education gradient gets larger over time.

Keywords: schooling; aging; longevity; health expenditure; unhealthy behavior; smoking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D91 I12 J17 J26 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Health and Education: Understanding the Gradient (2011)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:cegedp:172

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