A Comparison of Educational Differences on Physical Health, Mortality, and Healthy Life Expectancy in Japan and the United States.

TitleA Comparison of Educational Differences on Physical Health, Mortality, and Healthy Life Expectancy in Japan and the United States.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
AuthorsChiu, C-T, Hayward, MD, Saito, Y
JournalJ Aging Health
Volume28
Issue7
Pagination1256-78
Date Published2016 10
ISSN Number1552-6887
KeywordsActivities of Daily Living, Age Distribution, Aged, Cause of Death, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Educational Status, Employment, Family Characteristics, Female, Health Status, Health Surveys, Healthy Lifestyle, Humans, Japan, Life Expectancy, Life Tables, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Regression Analysis, Retirement, Sex Distribution, United States
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the educational gradient of health and mortality between two long-lived populations: Japan and the United States.

METHOD: This analysis is based on the Nihon University Japanese Longitudinal Study of Aging and the Health and Retirement Study to compare educational gradients in multiple aspects of population health-life expectancy with/without disability, functional limitations, or chronic diseases, using prevalence-based Sullivan life tables.

RESULTS: Our results show that education coefficients from physical health and mortality models are similar for both Japan and American populations, and older Japanese have better mortality and health profiles.

DISCUSSION: Japan's compulsory national health service system since April 1961 and living arrangements with adult children may play an important role for its superior health profile compared with that of the United States.

DOI10.1177/0898264316656505
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27590801?dopt=Abstract

Alternate JournalJ Aging Health
Citation Key8682
PubMed ID27590801