The Impact of Education on Health: Evidence from School Entry Laws in the United States

Justin McCrary, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan
Heather Royer, Health and Scholars Program, School of Public Health, University of Michigan

a 2006 CLOSUP Small Grants Program award

Abstract:
This project investigates the impact of education on health using confidential death- and birth-certificate data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Death certificate data allows examination of the impact of an individual's own education on lifespan, while birth certificate data allows examination of the impact of parental education on infant health. To estimate these impacts, quasi-experimental identification strategies are used, particularly school entry policies.