Consequences of Educational Change for the Burden of Chronic Health Problems in the Population

TitleConsequences of Educational Change for the Burden of Chronic Health Problems in the Population
Publication TypeBook Chapter
Year of Publication2006
AuthorsHayward, MD, Crimmins, EM, Zhang, Z
EditorGauthier, AH, Chu, C, Tuljapurkar, S
Book TitleAllocating Public and Private Resources across Generations
Series Volume3
Pagination227-242
PublisherOxford University Press
CityOxford, UK
ISBN Number978-1-4020-4480-9
Call Numberpubs_2005_Hayward_etal.pdf
KeywordsEducational attainment, Educational Change, Functional Limitation, Functional Problem, Life Table
Abstract

Changes in the public and individual burden of chronic health problems have significant implications for the allocation of public and private resources across generations. Preston (1984) noted almost two decades ago that population ageing in the United States was accompanied by the rapid expansion of public programs benefiting the health of elderswhile public programs benefiting children’s education contracted. Health care is the principal public service provided to the elderly while education is the counterpart for children.

Within a historical time period, political choices about the funding of age-targeted service programs have an urgency that oftentimes sweeps aside the fact that investments in children’s well-being pay substantial dividends decades later when children become the elders of a population. In large part, this reflects a lack of attention both by policy makers and by demographers of these long-run associations. Here, we provide new insights into the longrun consequences of investments in children for the burden of chronic health problems by conducting a thought experiment in which we simulate how sweeping historical changes in a population’s educational achievement potentially alters active life expectancy and the prevalence of functioning problems in the population.

Notes

ProCite field 8 : eds.

DOI10.1007/978-1-4020-4481-6_9
Endnote Keywords

Education/Health Status/Life Expectancy

Endnote ID

10502

Endnote Author Address

National Institute on Aging and the National Institute on Child Health and Human Development; Revision of Penn State Population Research Insitute Working Paper 02-02

Citation Key5183