Stay in School: Higher Education Linked to Longer Life, Study Shows

Attending school and college, often seen as a tedious task, may have more benefits than we realize. A groundbreaking study has established a direct link between education and increased life expectancy, revealing that each additional year of education can significantly improve our chances of living longer.

The study, titled ‘Effects of education on adult mortality: A global systematic review and meta-analysis,’ was published in The Lancet Public Health journal on January 23. Interestingly, the research was released just before the International Day of Education, a day recognized by UNESCO to underscore the vital role of education and teachers in combating hate speech, which has proliferated through social media and is harming societal cohesion.

Spanning across 59 countries and analyzing over 600 articles, the study incorporated more than 10,000 data points. It concluded that for every extra year of schooling, there’s a two percent decrease in the risk of death. This means that completing various educational levels, from primary school to a master’s degree, can lead to a substantial 34 percent reduction in death risk compared to those without any formal education.

Moreover, the study equated never attending school to the health risks of heavy drinking or smoking. Not going to school at any stage of life is as detrimental as consuming five alcoholic beverages daily or smoking 10 cigarettes a day for ten years.

The benefits of education extend beyond just health. Funded by the Norwegian government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the authors of the study highlighted that education enhances a person’s capability to build a healthier lifestyle through increased financial and social resources.

Claire Henson, a researcher at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and co-author of the study, emphasized that any level of education at any point in life can reduce mortality risk. She further suggested that policymakers should view investments in education as investments in health.

The study also noted that the positive impact of education on lifespan is consistent across developed and developing countries, regardless of an individual’s gender, social class, or demographics. It emphasizes that bridging the education gap is key to reducing the mortality gap and breaking the cycle of poverty and preventable deaths.

David Finch, an assistant director at the UK-based think tank Health Foundation, remarked to the Guardian that higher education enhances life expectancy through various means, including the development of better social connections and improved information access and comprehension, which contribute to making healthier life choices.