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Education and health: long-run effects of peers, tracking and years

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  • Martin Fischer
  • Ulf-G Gerdtham
  • Gawain Heckley
  • Martin Karlsson
  • Gustav Kjellsson
  • Therese Nilsson

Abstract

SUMMARYWe investigate two parallel school reforms in Sweden to assess the long-run health effects of education. One reform only increased years of schooling, while the other increased years of schooling but also removed tracking leading to a more mixed socioeconomic peer group. By differencing the effects of the parallel reforms we separate the effect of de-tracking and peers from that of more schooling. We find that the pure years of schooling reform reduced mortality and improved current health. Differencing the effects of the reforms shows significant differences in the estimated impacts, suggesting that de-tracking and subsequent peer effects resulted in worse health.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Fischer & Ulf-G Gerdtham & Gawain Heckley & Martin Karlsson & Gustav Kjellsson & Therese Nilsson, 2021. "Education and health: long-run effects of peers, tracking and years," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 36(105), pages 3-49.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:ecpoli:v:36:y:2021:i:105:p:3-49.
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    Cited by:

    1. Norrgren, Lisa, 2021. "Time Preferences, Illness, and Death," Working Papers in Economics 812, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics, revised 11 Oct 2021.
    2. Kronenberg, Christoph, 2020. "New(spaper) Evidence of a Reduction in Suicide Mentions during the 19th‐century US Gold Rush," CINCH Working Paper Series (since 2020) 73382, Duisburg-Essen University Library, DuEPublico.
    3. Schmitz, Hendrik & Tawiah, Beatrice Baaba, 2023. "Life-cycle health effects of compulsory schooling," Ruhr Economic Papers 1006, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    4. Fischer, Martin & Karlsson, Martin & Prodromidis, Nikolaos, 2021. "Long‐term Effects of Hospital Deliveries," CINCH Working Paper Series (since 2020) 74712, Duisburg-Essen University Library, DuEPublico.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    I12; I18; I26;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education

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