Healthy minds in healthy bodies: An international comparison of education-related inequality in physical health among older adults

Jürges, Hendrik

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URL:	https://ub-madoc.bib.uni-mannheim.de/1544
URN:	urn:nbn:de:bsz:180-madoc-15440
Document Type:	Working paper
Year of publication:	2007
The title of a journal, publication series:	MEA Discussion Papers
Volume:	141
Place of publication:	Mannheim
Publication language:	English
Institution:	School of Law and Economics > Sonstige - Fakultät für Rechtswissenschaft und Volkswirtschaftslehre
MADOC publication series:	Veröffentlichungen des MEA (Mannheim Research Institute For the Economics of Aging) > MEA Discussion Papers
Subject:	300 Social sciences, sociology, anthropology
Classification:	JEL: J14 I21 I12 ,
Subject headings (SWD):	SHARE <Projekt> , Gesundheit , Älterer Mensch , Schulbildung , Auswirkung
Keywords (English):	Socioeconomic inequality in health , concentration index , cross-country analysis , decomposition
Abstract:	Education is arguably the most important correlate of health We study education-related inequality in the physical of older adults across 11 European countries and the US. Combining data from HRS 2002, ELSA 2002 and SHARE 2004, our results suggest that education is strongly correlated with health both across and within countries. Education-related inequality in health is larger in Mediterranean and Anglo-Saxon countries than in western European countries. We find no evidence of a trade-off between health levels and equity in health. Education-related inequality in health hardly driven by income or wealth effects (except in the US), and differences in health behaviors (smoking) by education level contribute surprisingly little health differences across education groups.
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