Links between Education and Health
Education is Key to Long Life, Better Health
Among the factors that determine health, education is emerging as one of the most important.
In a December 2002 briefing paper for health news reporters, The Center for the Advancement of Health states, "Education has been shown to be a powerful and unique predictor of health outcomes - lower levels of education are associated with poor health and higher levels of education are associated with better health."
A Rand Corporation study, reported in a New York Times article on Jan. 3, 2007, found that better educated people live longer, regardless of race or income. The article states that, "The one social factor that researchers agree is consistently linked to longer lives in every country where it has been studied is education. It is more important than race; it obliterates any effects of income."
State Acts on this Link
Each Student Successful Summit
On May 18, 2007, the Commission co-sponsored a summit with the state Dept. of Health (DOH) and the State Board of Health (SBH). That summit was called "Each Student Successful: Exploring Policies to Address Health Disparities and the Academic Achievement Gap." Dr. Maxine Hayes and Dr. Gene Carter were featured speakers at the Summit.
We are now working with DOH and SBH as they craft policies around the health gap and the academic achievement/opportunity gap. The last planning team session was June 28, 2007. Commission staff member Rosalund Jenkins and Commissioner Winona Hollins-Hauge participated in that session.
DOH and SBH staff are preparing a report about the Summit with an outline of policy recommendations. As of July 2007, the report was still being edited. As soon as it is final, we will publish it here.
