Health Behavior, Health Knowledge, and Schooling
Abstract
The positive correlation between schooling and good health is well documented. One explanation is that schooling helps people choose healthier life-styles by improving their knowledge of the relationship between health behaviors and health outcomes. That is, schooling improves the household's allocative efficiency in producing health. This empirical study uses direct measures of health knowledge to test this explanation. Part of the relationship between schooling and the consumption of cigarettes, alcohol, and exercise is explained by differences in health knowledge. However, most of schooling's effects on health behavior remain after differences in knowledge are controlled for.
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For most health-related behaviours that are the target of theoretically-based behaviour change interventions (e.g., smoking, healthy eating, physical activity), knowledge is not an important source of variance.
“However, for most health-related behaviours that are the target of theoretically-based behaviour change interventions (e.g., smoking, healthy eating, physical activity), knowledge is not an important source of variance [47-52].”
From Validation of the theoretical domains framework for use in behaviour change and implementation research (2012) · cites this paper as [47]
Cites
Specification Tests in Econometrics
Hausman, J. A. (1978) · Econometrica · doi:10.2307/1913827 · Cited by 18,820 · see citing works
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Cane, J., O’Connor, D., & Michie, S. (2012) · Implementation Science · doi:10.1186/1748-5908-7-37 · Cited by 4,888 · see citing works
“, smoking, healthy eating, physical activity), knowledge is not an important source of variance [47-52].”
BackgroundUnderstanding differences in health behaviors by education
Cutler, D. M., & Lleras-Muney, A. (2010) · Journal of Health Economics · doi:10.1016/j.jhealeco.2009.10.003 · Cited by 1,920 · see citing works
“These results are in line with those found by Meara (2001) and interestingly with those reported by Kenkel (1991) ,w ho attempted to account for the possibility that health knowledge is endogenous.17”
ResultThe Relationship Between Education and Adult Mortality in the United States
Lleras-Muney, A. (2005) · Review of Economic Studies · doi:10.1111/0034-6527.00329 · Cited by 1,282 · see citing works
Does education cause better health? A panel data analysis using school reforms for identification
Arendt, J. N. (2005) · Economics of Education Review · doi:10.1016/j.econedurev.2004.04.008 · Cited by 359 · see citing works
Education: A Missed Opportunity for Public Health Intervention
Cohen, A. K., & Syme, S. L. (2013) · American Journal of Public Health · doi:10.2105/ajph.2012.300993 · Cited by 290 · see citing works
From home to hospital: the evolution of childbirth in the United States, 1928–1940
Thomasson, M. A., & Treber, J. (2008) · Explorations in Economic History · doi:10.1016/j.eeh.2007.07.001 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
- Authors
- Kenkel, D. S.
- Corresponding author
- Kenkel, Donald S.
- ORCID
- Kenkel, Donald S.
- Venue
- Journal of Political Economy
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Published
- 1991-04
- Volume
- 99
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 287-305
- ISSN
- 0022-3808 (ISSN-L)
- 1537-534X
- OpenAlex
- W2020267861
- Cited by
- 956
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 60 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 35 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 36 · 2015: 41 · 2014: 46 · 2013: 34 · 2012: 38
- FWCI
- 27.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Political Economy (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health and Lifestyle Studies
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › School Health and Nursing Education
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Keywords
- school education, health behavior, health knowledge, health knowledge gaps, cigarette consumption, alcohol consumption, physical activity, allocative efficiency, health investment
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