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Education Attainment, Intelligence and COVID-19: A Mendelian Randomization Study.
Gloria Hoi-Yee Li1, Stanley Kam-Ki Lam2,3, Ian Chi-Kei Wong4,5
1Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|November 13, 2021
Summary
Higher education and intelligence may reduce COVID-19 severity and hospitalization risk. Improving education could help lessen health disparities related to the pandemic.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Socioeconomic disparities are linked to unequal COVID-19 outcomes, with lower education associated with higher risks.
- Understanding the genetic underpinnings of socioeconomic factors can inform public health interventions.
- This study investigates the role of education and intelligence in COVID-19 outcomes from a genetic perspective.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the potential of education and intelligence as interventions against COVID-19.
- To assess the causal effects of genetically determined education and intelligence on COVID-19 outcomes.
- To explore the socioeconomic determinants of COVID-19 health inequalities.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach with large-scale genome-wide association study meta-analysis data.
- Employed univariable analysis to determine total causal effects of education and intelligence on COVID-19.
- Applied multivariable analysis to investigate potential mediating mechanisms between education, intelligence, and COVID-19.
Main Results:
- Higher genetically determined education attainment (1 SD) was independently linked to significantly reduced COVID-19 severity (OR=0.508) and hospitalization risk (OR=0.685).
- The association between education and hospitalization risk was attenuated after adjusting for intelligence.
- Higher genetically determined intelligence also reduced hospitalization risk (OR=0.780), with attenuation after adjusting for education. No significant associations were found for infection risk.
Conclusions:
- Education appears to independently and jointly influence COVID-19 outcomes with intelligence.
- Enhancing educational attainment may serve as a potential strategy to mitigate COVID-19-related health inequalities.
- Genetic predisposition to higher education and intelligence may offer protective effects against severe COVID-19 outcomes.
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