Association of education level with mortality in United States - A cross-sectional study

Educational level (EL), an important component for socioeconomic status, can potentially influence health, disease or mortality. Unfortunately, the detailed relationship between educational level and all cause or disease specific mortality in general population has not been elucidated, especially in...

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Main Authors: Weihong Chang, Qingping Zeng, Boda Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Acta Psychologica
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825000873
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author Weihong Chang
Qingping Zeng
Boda Zhou
author_facet Weihong Chang
Qingping Zeng
Boda Zhou
author_sort Weihong Chang
collection DOAJ
description Educational level (EL), an important component for socioeconomic status, can potentially influence health, disease or mortality. Unfortunately, the detailed relationship between educational level and all cause or disease specific mortality in general population has not been elucidated, especially in Americans, which could impact public health policy. Here we analyzed association of EL with mortality in a nationally representative cohort from NHANES. This cohort study used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 1999 through 2018 and linked mortality information until 2019. Data were analyzed from April 1 through July 15, 2024. This study included 34,673 American adults aged 20–80 years old. During a median (IQR) follow-up of 9.9 (5.2–15.2) years, 5663 deaths were recorded. We found that higher EL was associated with mortality reduction in all cause, CVD, diabetes, Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (CLRD), cancer and kidney disease mortality. Stratified analysis revealed that in subgroups <65 years, protection of higher EL was greater for all cause, CVD and cancer mortality. Higher EL was associated with reduction in male, while a risk factor in female for Alzheimer Disease, Influenza and Pneumonia Mortality. Higher EL was associated with mortality reduction in <65 subgroup, while a risk factor in ≥65 for Accidents Mortality. We found higher EL was associated with reduction in all cause, CVD, diabetes, Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (CLRD), cancer and kidney disease mortality in a representative cohort in U.S. This study proved clear association between education level and disease specific mortality in a large nationally representative cohort in U.S., which may impact future public health policy making.
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spelling doaj-art-45029dc45f23456686ae4ba6015030e62025-02-02T05:26:36ZengElsevierActa Psychologica0001-69182025-03-01253104774Association of education level with mortality in United States - A cross-sectional studyWeihong Chang0Qingping Zeng1Boda Zhou2School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 102218, China; Department of Cardiology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 102218, ChinaSchool of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 102218, China; Department of Cardiology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 102218, ChinaDepartment of Cardiology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 102218, China; Corresponding author.Educational level (EL), an important component for socioeconomic status, can potentially influence health, disease or mortality. Unfortunately, the detailed relationship between educational level and all cause or disease specific mortality in general population has not been elucidated, especially in Americans, which could impact public health policy. Here we analyzed association of EL with mortality in a nationally representative cohort from NHANES. This cohort study used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 1999 through 2018 and linked mortality information until 2019. Data were analyzed from April 1 through July 15, 2024. This study included 34,673 American adults aged 20–80 years old. During a median (IQR) follow-up of 9.9 (5.2–15.2) years, 5663 deaths were recorded. We found that higher EL was associated with mortality reduction in all cause, CVD, diabetes, Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (CLRD), cancer and kidney disease mortality. Stratified analysis revealed that in subgroups <65 years, protection of higher EL was greater for all cause, CVD and cancer mortality. Higher EL was associated with reduction in male, while a risk factor in female for Alzheimer Disease, Influenza and Pneumonia Mortality. Higher EL was associated with mortality reduction in <65 subgroup, while a risk factor in ≥65 for Accidents Mortality. We found higher EL was associated with reduction in all cause, CVD, diabetes, Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (CLRD), cancer and kidney disease mortality in a representative cohort in U.S. This study proved clear association between education level and disease specific mortality in a large nationally representative cohort in U.S., which may impact future public health policy making.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825000873Public healthEducation levelSocial economic statusMortalityCVDCancer
spellingShingle Weihong Chang
Qingping Zeng
Boda Zhou
Association of education level with mortality in United States - A cross-sectional study
Acta Psychologica
Public health
Education level
Social economic status
Mortality
CVD
Cancer
title Association of education level with mortality in United States - A cross-sectional study
title_full Association of education level with mortality in United States - A cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Association of education level with mortality in United States - A cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Association of education level with mortality in United States - A cross-sectional study
title_short Association of education level with mortality in United States - A cross-sectional study
title_sort association of education level with mortality in united states a cross sectional study
topic Public health
Education level
Social economic status
Mortality
CVD
Cancer
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825000873
work_keys_str_mv AT weihongchang associationofeducationlevelwithmortalityinunitedstatesacrosssectionalstudy
AT qingpingzeng associationofeducationlevelwithmortalityinunitedstatesacrosssectionalstudy
AT bodazhou associationofeducationlevelwithmortalityinunitedstatesacrosssectionalstudy