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The effects of education on mortality: Evidence using college expansions

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  • Jason Fletcher
  • Hamid Noghanibehambari

Abstract

This paper explores the long‐run health benefits of education for longevity. Using mortality data from the Social Security Administration (1988–2005) linked to geographic locations in the 1940‐census data, we exploit changes in college availability across cohorts in local areas. Our treatment on the treated calculations suggest increases in longevity between 1.3 and 2.7 years. Some further analyses suggest the results are not driven by pre‐tends, endogenous migration, and other time‐varying local confounders. This paper adds to the literature on the health and social benefits of education.

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  • Jason Fletcher & Hamid Noghanibehambari, 2024. "The effects of education on mortality: Evidence using college expansions," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(3), pages 541-575, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:33:y:2024:i:3:p:541-575
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.4787
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    Cited by:

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    3. Goldstein, Joshua R. & Osborne, Maria & Atherwood, Serge & Breen, Casey, 2022. "Mortality Modeling of Partially Observed Cohorts Using Administrative Death Records," SocArXiv efdzh, Center for Open Science.
    4. Hao, Zedong & Wang, Yun, 2022. "Education signaling, effort investments, and the market's expectations: Theory and experiment on China's higher education expansion," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    5. Joshua R. Goldstein & Maria Osborne & Serge Atherwood & Casey F. Breen, 2023. "Mortality Modeling of Partially Observed Cohorts Using Administrative Death Records," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(3), pages 1-20, June.
    6. Noghanibehambari, Hamid & Tavassoli, Nahid, 2022. "An ounce of prevention, a pound of cure: The effects of college expansions on crime," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    7. Adriana Lleras‐Muney, 2022. "Education and income gradients in longevity: The role of policy," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 55(1), pages 5-37, February.
    8. Masuda, Kazuya & Shigeoka, Hitoshi, 2023. "Education and Later-Life Mortality: Evidence from a School Reform in Japan," IZA Discussion Papers 16310, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Hamid Noghanibehambari & Farzaneh Noghani, 2023. "Long‐run intergenerational health benefits of women empowerment: Evidence from suffrage movements in the US," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(11), pages 2583-2631, November.
    10. Fletcher, Jason & Noghanibehambari, Hamid, 2024. "The siren song of cicadas: Early-life pesticide exposure and later-life male mortality," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    11. Noghanibehambari, Hamid & Engelman, Michal, 2022. "Social insurance programs and later-life mortality: Evidence from new deal relief spending," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    12. Hamid Noghanibehambari & Jason Fletcher, 2023. "Childhood exposure to birth registration laws and old‐age mortality," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(3), pages 735-743, March.

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    JEL classification:

    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education

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