Which Aspects of Education Matter for Early Adult Mortality? Evidence from the High School and Beyond Cohort

For Whom Does Education Convey Health Benefits? A Two-Generation and Life Course Approach

Scholars of social determinants of health have long been interested in how parent's and own education influence health. However, the differing effects of parent's and own education on health-that is, for what socioeconomic group education conveys health benefits-are relatively less studied. Using multilevel marginal structural models, we estimate the heterogeneous effects of parent's and own education over the life course on two health measures. Our analysis considers both parent's and respondent's pre-education covariates, such as childhood health and socioeconomic conditions. We find that the protective effects of college completion against negative health outcomes are remarkably similar regardless of parent's (measured by father's or mother's) education. Meanwhile, parent's education has a larger effect when the average educational level is low in the population. Our results also reveal distinct life course patterns between health measures. We conclude by discussing the implications of our study for understanding the education-health relationship.

Human Capital Development Factors and Black Adolescent Tobacco and Cannabis Use

INTRODUCTION

This study examined the association of four domains of human capital development (cognitive development, social and emotional development, physical health, and mental health) and exclusive and concurrent tobacco and cannabis use (TCU) among black youth.

AIMS AND METHODS

Nationally representative annual cross-sectional data for black adolescents (12-17 years; N = 9017) in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2015-2019 were analyzed. Analyses examined the influence of human capital factors (cognitive development, social and emotional development, physical health, and mental health) on exclusive and concurrent TCU.

RESULTS

In total, 50.4% were males; prevalence of 12-month tobacco use fluctuated insignificantly between 5.6% and 7.6% across survey years. Similarly, prevalence of 12-month cannabis use remained relatively stable around 13%, with no significant linear change. Prevalence of concurrent TCU also fluctuated insignificantly between 3.5% and 5.3%. Investment in cognitive development decreased the odds of tobacco (aOR = 0.58, p < .001), cannabis (aOR = 0.64, p < .001), and concurrent tobacco and cannabis (aOR = 0.58, p < .001) use. Similarly, investment in social and emotional development reduced the odds of tobacco (aOR = 086, p < .001), cannabis (aOR = 0.83, p < .001), and concurrent tobacco and cannabis (aOR = 0.81, p < .001) use. Good physical health reduced the odds of tobacco (aOR = 0.52, p < .1), cannabis (aOR = 0.63, p < .05), and concurrent TCU (aOR = 0.54, p < .05). Major depressive episodes increased the likelihood of cannabis use (aOR = 1.62, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Investment in cognitive, social, and emotional aspects of human capital development, and physical health among black youth is protective against TCU. Efforts to sustain human capital development among black adolescents may contribute to reducing TCU disparities.

IMPLICATIONS

This is one of few studies to examine human capital development factors and their associations with TCU among black youth. Efforts to eliminate tobacco/cannabis-related disparities among black youth should also invest in social, emotional, cognitive, and physical health development opportunities.

The Roles of Adolescent Occupational Expectations and Preparation in Adult Suicide and Drug Poisoning Deaths within a Shifting Labor Market

Research suggests that economic declines contribute to mortality risks from suicide and drug poisoning, but how the economy impacts individuals' risks of these deaths has been challenging to specify. Building on recent theoretical advances, we investigate how adolescent occupational expectations and preparation contribute to suicide and drug poisoning deaths in a shifting economy. We use High School and Beyond data linked to adult mortality records for men that were exposed to a decline in labor market share and wages in predominantly blue-collar occupations during early adulthood. We find that adolescent men who expected these occupations had increased risks of suicide and drug poisoning death as adults net of educational and occupational attainment in early adulthood. Family background and occupational preparation are risk factors for death by drug poisoning but not suicide. Our findings improve our understanding of how labor market uncertainty shapes individuals' vulnerability to suicide and drug poisoning death.

The relationship between postsecondary education and adult health behaviors

Nearly 80% of American adults between the ages of 33-44 have at least some postsecondary education, which ranges from vocational training to a doctorate or professional degree. However, in education-health studies, postsecondary credentials are often grouped into a limited number of categories. This is an important omission as it obscures differentiations between the various types of postsecondary credentials. This study provides the first comprehensive analysis of disparities in health behaviors across detailed levels of postsecondary education. Data comes from Wave 5 of the 2018 National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). A covariance-weighting technique is used to produce behavioral index scores that identify the full spectrum of health behaviors influenced by postsecondary educational attainment. Estimates are initially produced in aggregate for the total sample population, with interaction models subsequently being used to test differences across gender and race/ethnicity population subgroups. The aggregate results indicate that adults with at least a bachelor's degree exhibit healthier lifestyles; however, no difference is observed among adults with lower-level postsecondary credentials, compared to high school graduates. Women experience steeper gradients at higher levels of postsecondary education, compared to men. Both White and Hispanic American adults exhibit comparable health lifestyles across levels of postsecondary education; however, Black Americans were found to experience no returns except at the doctorate or professional degree level. These findings have important implications particularly as adults in their thirties and forties continue to exhibit troubling health and mortality trends.

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Adult health behaviors across detailed levels of postsecondary education.

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Estimates are provided both in aggregate and by the most influential population subgroups, including gender and race.

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Significant better health behaviors found among BA graduates and above.

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Lower or no returns found among sub-BA holders.

Youth academic achievement, social context, and body mass index

This study assesses the relationship between academic achievement and body mass index for age (BMI) trajectories across childhood and adolescence, and investigates how this relationship is moderated by social context. Specifically, we test the hypothesis that academic achievement is not associated with improved BMI among youth from disadvantaged social contexts. We test for differences by race/ethnicity, and examine the role of county-level economic mobility in shaping these patterns. We use data from the longitudinal Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), an ongoing birth cohort study representative of children born in large US cities in 2000, and measure BMI, academic achievement, and social context at Years 5, 9, and 15. Estimating multilevel random effects linear regression models of BMI from childhood to adolescence, we find that youth who were exposed to social advantage displayed a negative association between academic achievement and BMI. In contrast, youth exposed to social disadvantage displayed no association between academic achievement and BMI. This difference was observed regardless of race/ethnicity. County-level economic mobility modified the observed relationship, such that youth living in places with low levels of mobility displayed higher BMI associated with high academic performance. The results suggest that the health costs of academic achievement among disadvantaged youth are concentrated in areas with low institutional support for upward mobility. The findings demonstrate that the unequal benefits of educational attainment begin early in life, while living in places that promote upward mobility can help individuals realize the health benefits of their own educational attainment.