A new study has found that lack of education can be a major reason of a person's death. Researchers from the University of Colorado, the New York University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said that people who dropped out of high school without decent GCSEs or A levels are more likely to die from poor diet, long manual working hours and worsening mental health, Telegraph reported.
They also said that over 110,000 deaths could have been averted if every adult who had college experience held a bachelor's degree.
The team looked into the population data in the United States back in 1925 to understand how education levels affected mortality rate over the years. They found that changes in the trends of policies and interventions affecting educational attainment can significantly improve survival in the US population. The study therefore proves the direct correlation between education and mortality.
According to IB Times, Virginia Chang, an associate professor at New York University, said that it is simply because people with more education have higher income and have more money to afford healthy food and lifestyle.
Low levels of education are common especially in the US where adults aged 25 to 34 do not have a high school degree and more than a quarter have some college but no bachelor's degree. The reason why education has been said to be a predictor of longevity is because of factors including higher income and social status, healthier behaviors and lifestyle and improved social and psychological well being.
Researchers said that based on their findings on the study, the goals for increasing the proportion of the students completing high school by 2020 should be met as they have an impact on future survival patterns.
