Does compulsory schooling affect health? Evidence from ambulatory claims data

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Educational Policy
• Public Health

Background:

• Previous literature suggests a strong positive correlation between education and health outcomes.
• The causal impact of schooling on health remains a significant area of research.
• Large-scale, robust analyses are needed to confirm these associations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal effect of compulsory schooling reforms on health outcomes in Germany.
• To provide the largest and most comprehensive analysis to date on schooling and health in Germany.
• To assess the robustness of findings across various statistical models.

Main Methods:

• Utilized claims data from over 23 million individuals in Germany.
• Employed a regression discontinuity design exploiting changes in compulsory schooling laws.
• Conducted specification curve analyses to ensure robustness of results.

Main Results:

• Found, at best, very small impacts of schooling reforms on doctor diagnoses (physical and mental health).
• Most model specifications yielded insignificant effects, close to zero and often in the unexpected direction.
• The study challenges previously reported large positive effects of education on health.

Conclusions:

• The causal link between increased schooling and improved health may be weaker than previously assumed.
• Policy implications regarding the direct health benefits of educational reforms warrant re-evaluation.
• Further research is needed to understand the complex relationship between education and health.