Type of Educational Institution Attended Linked to Health Outcomes

WEDNESDAY, June 19, 2024 (HealthDay News) — The type of educational institution attended is associated with multiple health outcomes in midlife, according to a study published online June 18 in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

Keyao Deng, from University College London, and colleagues examined associations between the type of high school or university attended and 10 health outcomes that capture cardiometabolic risks, physical capabilities, and cognitive function at age 46 years using data from 8,107 participants in the 1970 British Cohort Study.

The researchers identified associations for private school and higher-status university with favorable health outcomes. Associations between private school attendance and cardiometabolic risks persisted after adjustment for potential confounders; the associations between higher-status university attendance and cognitive function persisted, while associations with other outcomes were mainly attenuated. Private school attendance was associated with a 0.14 standard deviation lower body mass index after full adjustment, and higher-status university attendance was associated with a 0.16 standard deviation better memory recall.

“We found that higher-status institution attendance was associated with better subsequent health in mid-adulthood, using multiple objective health measures,” the authors write. “The type of education might be a factor contributing to the education-health relationship.”

Abstract/Full Text